SW Detroit Residents Want Ramps Re-Opened
Some Detroit residents are calling for the state to take action to ease the flow of commercial trucks through in southwest Detroit.
The group "Detroiters for Progress" is calling on the Michigan Department of Transportation and/or the Governor to work with them in keeping big rigs out off surface streets and out of their neighborhoods.
WWJ's Pat Sweeting spoke with the group's spokesman, Adolf Mongo, who says they're asking for the opening of freeway ramps that would allow huge semi trucks and other traffic bound to and from the Ambassador Bridge to flow to and from the freeway directly.
"These two ramps that were rebuilt and finished in 2009 -- MDOT is closing them. They're holding the city of Detroit hostage, especially these folks in the neighborhoods, because of an ongoing dispute with the Ambassador Bridge company," Mongo explained.
"What we're asking is for them to open these ramps so that the thousands of trucks and cars can go straight to the highway and not through the neighborhoods," he said.
Mongo says residents are voicing concerns about health and safety -- and he hopes Governor-elect Rick Snyder is listenring.
"We've got a high crime rate over here anyway, and this just ads another burdon to the folks over here. You've got unemployment, people looking for jobs and now you've got to deal with all this traffic. We need to do something with it -- stop playing politics," he said.
