Summer is a beautiful time in Bloomfield Township. Unfortunately, that beauty doesn’t always extend to our roads, which are often lined with orange construction barrels and traffic cones this time of year.
Construction season is well underway, with major projects on I-696, Square Lake Road, and other key corridors impacting travel throughout our community. As many of you have experienced, traffic apps are directing drivers through our neighborhoods to avoid congestion and freeway closures. I understand how frustrating this is for residents, and I know many families are concerned about the safety of children walking, biking, and playing in their neighborhoods. Please know that we hear your concerns, and we are actively working to address them.
Alongside Police Chief James Gallagher, I recently attended a meeting with several homeowners’ associations located north of Telegraph Road and east of Hickory Grove Road to discuss these traffic issues. Chief Gallagher estimates that nearly 40,000 additional vehicles are using subdivision streets each day as detours around construction. Simply put, that is unacceptable.
Major roads and freeways fall under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC). As a Township, we cannot change official detour routes or redirect traffic unless there is a public safety emergency. What we can do is increase police traffic enforcement and visibility in the affected neighborhoods. Chief Gallagher has already deployed additional traffic officers, and we will continue to do so throughout the construction season to improve safety and encourage responsible driving.
Another concern we hear every summer is excessive traffic noise, particularly along the Woodward Avenue corridor. To address this issue, the Bloomfield Township Police Department has increased weekend evening traffic enforcement to target speeding, reckless driving, and excessive vehicle noise.
If you’d like to learn more about the important work being done to keep our community safe, I invite you to listen to my podcast, Bloomfield in Focus, where I recently sat down with Police Chief James Gallagher and Fire Chief John Leroy to discuss public safety initiatives and what residents can expect this summer.
One aspect of public safety that often goes unnoticed is the outstanding work of the Bloomfield Township Animal Shelter. I always enjoy visiting the shelter and meeting the wonderful animals waiting for their forever homes.
During my time in the Michigan Legislature, I was honored to receive the Humane Society’s Legislator of the Year award for sponsoring legislation to strengthen protections against animal cruelty. Caring for animals has always been a passion of mine, and I encourage anyone considering adding a pet to their family to stop by the shelter and see the animals available for adoption. I also want to recognize our dedicated Animal Control Officers and the many volunteers who generously give their time to care for and walk the animals each day.
As always, your safety remains our highest priority. My team and I are committed to working every day to make Bloomfield Township a safe, welcoming, and exceptional place to live.
I wish you and your family a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer.
-Mike McCready, Bloomfield Township Supervisor
As printed in the Summer 2026 Living in Bloomfield newsletter.