FAQs

The Allen Road Grade Separation Project is a Wayne County initiative to eliminate long-standing train-related traffic delays in Woodhaven, MI by lowering Allen Road and constructing a railroad bridge overhead. This "grade separation" removes the at-grade crossing that currently blocks traffic when trains pass.

For decades, trains entering the Canadian National (CN) Flat Rock Yard have caused traffic blockages of up to 45 minutes or more, with the average stoppage lasting over 9 minutes, adding up to more than an hour of delays per day. These delays affect commuters, school buses, deliveries, and even emergency-response vehicles.

More than 30,000 vehicles, including 2,140 commercial trucks, travel through the Allen Road crossing daily, making it one of the busiest routes in the Downriver region.

• Shorter travel times
• Faster emergency response (no more emergency vehicles stuck behind trains)
• Improved traffic flow along a key economic corridor
• Reduced congestion that affects nearby industries, businesses, and the Woodhaven community

• Lowering Allen Road beneath the railroad
• Construction of a new railroad bridge over the roadway
• Installation of a pump station
• Relocation of utility, water, and sewer lines to support the grade separation

Weather permitting, road closure is planned to begin on March 23, 2026.

• Private utility relocations are underway and will continue through Summer 2026.
• Wayne County has selected Dan's Excavating and is mobilizing construction with the contractor.

Construction is expected to take up to three years, and will reopen to traffic before Fall 2028. There will be a full road closure and traffic detours while construction is underway. 

The project is led by Wayne County Public Services in partnership with the City of Woodhaven and the following contractors:

• Wade Trim for Engineering Design
• HNTB for Construction Engineering
• Dan's Excavating for Construction

Railroad operations remain uninterrupted throughout construction. A "shoofly," or temporary detour track, will be built around the construction site to safely keep trains moving. 

Wayne County and CN are working together to minimize disruptions or delays in service, and with any rail grade separation project, there is a possibility of railroad disruptions during construction.

Yes, the detour routes can be found on the interactive ArcGIS map on this website. Road closures will be publicly announced in advance to help drivers plan ahead.

The active construction zone will not be accessible to pedestrian traffic for safety reasons. Pedestrians should use the following routes to get around the road closure:

• Northbound: From Allen Road, turn west on Van Horn Road, then north onto Ford Lane, and east to West Road.
• Southbound: From Allen Road, turn west onto West Road, then south onto Ford Lane, and east to Van Horn Road.