The saying is, "The road to success is paved with good intentions". Detroit is among the communities saying that the road should be narrowed. As the below linked article explains, an effort is underway to make some of the roads narrower. In addition to forcing lower speed limits, the other goal is to reduce truck traffic on certain streets.
I have had brief discussions about this with a few of my valued connections and find that some agree and some disagree about the need and value of doing this. Real estate developers and investors can make a strong case either way about this. My initial analysis is that the impact of a narrow street depends upon the type and use of the real estate.
Residential developments, especially in prime school districts, would stand to benefit. Reduced speeds and truck traffic make conditions much safer for the kids and make the parents feel better. Meanwhile, shops, service offices (medical, financial, etc.), and especially restaurants would be harmed by this. Slowing down traffic, even in the interests of safety, is often enough to discourage current and potential customers from going to a location which is a challenge to get to. My bet is that you, and/or someone you know, no longer goes to a favorite restaurant or shop because of "too much traffic" and the time it wastes.
If and when narrow roads create more traffic jams and businesses suffer, the tax income generated and the value of the real estate, as currently zoned, loses value. Before this possible trend started, traffic count and traffic flow has been a consideration for most developers and investors in addition to retailers and restaurants for these reasons.
It is one thing to "stay in your lane", but it can be a big concern when the lane is constantly congested. Let's discuss how traffic flow impacts your current or proposed investment!
https://wdet.org/2025/10/02/the-metro-why-detroit-has-been-narrowing-its-roads/
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