BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – The Bronson City Council will consider a proposal from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Monday night to implement a “road diet” along US-12, converting the stretch from Albers Road to Wayne Street from four lanes to three.
This project would establish one travel lane in each direction alongside a dedicated center turn lane to improve safety and calm traffic. Backed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, experts emphasize that the conversion will maintain current roadway capacity and will not cause traffic delays, as the corridor’s average daily traffic remains well below the 10,000-vehicle threshold.
Nationally recognized public health and transportation consultant Mark Fenton will also join the meeting virtually to discuss the community benefits of the redesign.
The proposed safety overhaul aims to curb a troubling history of 77 crashes recorded on this segment from 2021 to 2025, which resulted in 24 injuries and three serious injuries.
By implementing the lane reduction, officials project a 41 percent decrease in total crashes over five years—eliminating roughly 32 accidents, by targeting sideswipe, rear-end, and angle collisions.
Beyond vehicle safety, the redesign will optimize on-street parking by giving drivers more room to safely enter and exit their vehicles farther from active traffic.
It will also reduce the number of travel lanes pedestrians must cross from four to two. Proponents note that such configurations can boost local economic vitality, transforming the highway from a corridor people simply “drive through” into a vibrant destination they “drive to.”
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