If You Build It They Really Will Come

New roads bring new development, not faster commutes, to Oakland County Michigan

1 minute read

February 22, 2004, 1:00 PM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Gil Armaly’s morning commute from Clarkston to Walled Lake used to be an easy 12 stoplight drive through countryside dotted with grazing cattle and horses. 'Now it’s 30 (stoplights) and counting,' he said. His daily drive went from 20 minutes two decades ago to a nerve-wracking hour, past subdivision after subdivision. In the past decade, southwest Oakland County has experienced a steady increase in residents and companies moving into the area, with the accompanying jump in traffic. Almost overnight it seems the area got a Target, a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot, along with new schools, houses, office buildings and other businesses. The pace of development is accelerating and officials, residents and builders are pointing to the M-5 Corridor as a big factor. The eight-lane highway, started in 1992 and completed in 2002, was designed to ease traffic flow in the area. Motorists have found it handy. It now carries 40,000 vehicles a day, running five miles from Interstate 696 in Novi north to Pontiac Trail in Commerce Township. But to Armaly, all M-5 has done is encourage more people to live, work and shop in the area."

Thanks to Richard Layman

Friday, February 20, 2004 in The Detroit News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2, 2025 - SD News

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Pump station with blue pipes coming out of concrete wall in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Builds Subway-Sized Tunnel — for Stormwater

The $700 million ‘stormwater subway’ is designed to handle overflows during storms, which contain toxic runoff from roadways and vehicles.

1 hour ago - City Observatory

Sign for Deschutes National Forest in Oregon.

Feds Clear Homeless Encampment in Oregon Forest

The action displaced over 100 people living on national forest land near Bend, Oregon.

3 hours ago - The New York Times

Seeing the Better City

Is This Urbanism?

Chuck Wolfe ponders a recommended subscription list of Substack urbanists and wonders — as have others — about the utility of the "urbanist" moniker.

4 hours ago - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.