Tienken Road: What the Construction Won't Solve.

“I would like to offer my most sincere apologies to Dr. Dwyer of the North Hills Veterinary Hospital.  I retract my statement that his business will be torn down during the widening of Tienken Road.  Per the 2010 Environmental Report posted on the Rochester Hills website under: project description, it appeared that North Hills Veterinary Hospital would be purchased and removed to make way for the widening project which I stated in my blog.  This is not correct.  They are and will remain open as well as the dentist office west of them.  Please remember to support the North Hills Veterinary Hospital and the other affected businesses during the construction project this and next year.”

Although the project is well underway, I have some serious questions:  What was the problem with Tienken Road causing them to widen it?  Answer:  Because of the thousands of homes built in the subdivisions along Tienken between Rochester Road and Squirrel, the traffic has exceeded the road’s capacity.  That is the plain and simple answer.  The answer given by the road commission is roughly the same.  They claim to be looking ahead to the next 30 years of traffic and say widening is the answer.  My bigger question: how will traffic flow be increased when there will still only be one east and one westbound lane?  Their answer: roundabout.

The original plan was for a 5 lane wide Tienken, like Walton.  This is based on the history of road building in SE Michigan.  When all of the square acre parcels are full, you need a wider road to move traffic through.  Rochester Hills has many obstacles that prevent this.  #1 Tienken runs through historic Stony Creek.  It is one of the best examples in the state of an intact village of 1800’s homes.  To move or remove any of these homes would be a crime.  Next, to the west, the residents fought the five lane proposal and the compromise was reached at 3 lanes.  Now who can tell me what good three lanes will do?  Are there that many people turning left into Rochester Heights or Cross Creek that the traffic backs up for miles?  Are there so many cars trying to turn into North Hill sub or the condos west of the trail?  Does anyone else see that adding a center turn lane will not increase road capacity?  It will only increase the width of the road.

To the west of Livernois are hundreds of single family homes.  For recreation many of these families enjoy riding their bicycles down to the Paint Creek Trail.  They can do this somewhat safely at a regular stop light.  The purpose of a roundabout is to keep traffic from coming to a stop, increasing flow.  This is a problem for pedestrians and bicycle riders who are trying to cross an intersection where traffic theoretically never stops.  Yes, they say they will install HAWK signals but I have yet to see one in action to judge it.  Another casualty of this construction project will be the home on the northeast corner and the backyard of the home on the southwest corner.  I believe they have a tennis court and a pool in their backyard.  Soon, they will have a roundabout in their backyard as well.

Tieken Road does need to be repaved.  Does it need a turn lane?  Not really.  Will this project help move traffic any faster between Livernois and Sheldon?  No. Will this make life for pedestrians and cyclists more dangerous?  Absolutely.  When the goal is to make it easier for traffic to drive faster, you decrease the appeal to walk or cycle anywhere.