From the left, 55th District state Rep. Mark Tisdel; Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett; Youth Council representative Jueon Kim; Rochester Hills City Council members Mark Skelcy, Marvie Neubauer and Diana Mannino; SEMCOG Executive Director Amy O’Leary; council member Bradley Limberg; Council Vice President Theresa Mungioli; council member David J. Blair; Council President Jason Carlock; and Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s regional manager, Akaash Kolluri.
By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published March 10, 2026
ROCHESTER HILLS — Those who walk, run, bike, or scooter along John R will soon have a safer way to cross the road.
The city of Rochester Hills recently received a $765,560 grant from the Southeastern Michigan Council of Government’s Transportation Alternatives Program to install High-Intensity Activated Crosswalks, or HAWK, signals with median refuge islands at three locations along John R.
SEMCOG’s Transportation Alternatives Program, or TAP, is a competitive program that distributes approximately $10 million in federal funding to local transportation projects each fiscal year. Eligible projects include shared-use path and sidewalk modernization, pedestrian safety improvements, new sidewalks, and complete streets amenities that increase usability.
“For the last 17 years, TAP has been able to invest $120 million in 185 projects across southeast Michigan, so a lot of good has been done,” said SEMCOG Director Amy O’Leary.
SEMCOG’s regional review committee determines what projects to fund with TAP funding each year.
“This time, we decided to do a call for projects with a very fast turnaround of quick-build projects to help with our pedestrian safety projects in southeast Michigan. I know this area pretty well, so I was excited to see that (Rochester Hills) put in for John R around some of the major parks,” O’Leary said.
“Personally, it was really nice to see something so close to my home to be able to get some good projects done and protect the residents.”
Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett said the City Council has been “very interested” in adding HAWK signals crosswalks in the three locations, which he said were all identified in the city’s master plan.
“The new signals will be three places on John R — one across from Thelma Spencer Park, one across from Holy Family School and the third across from Borden — so three very popular locations, especially with kids and families,” Barneet said. “None of them have a signalized crossing now, so these are three areas of significant improvement in areas that we know get a ton of use.”
City Council President John Carlock also voiced his excitement for the project.
“As somebody who frequently utilizes two of those three locations, you’ll probably see me crossing that street on my bicycle, so it is greatly appreciated,” said Carlock.