GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Michigan Street on the Medical Mile: It's one of busiest corridors in downtown Grand Rapids. Major multi-million dollar projects are in the works in the area, and now, new plans to invest $1.65 million in road and sidewalk repairs and upgrades from Monroe to Barclay are taking shape.
The city invited the public’s input on the changes at a public meeting Thursday evening at the Grand Rapids Development Center, 1120 Monroe.
The project aims to improve vehicle and foot traffic. A big part of the planning is also safety since Michigan St. is one of the top five places for crashes in the city according to the city’s Traffic Safety Manager, Chris Zull.
“I think everyone would agree right now that the condition of the road is pretty dire, we patch it as best we can but it’s just putting a Band-Aid on it,” Zull said.
The multi-phase project will begin with a resurfacing project expected to start this year, stretching from Monroe to Barclay along Michigan St. NE. Construction will also straighten the alignment of travel and turn lanes helping open the flow of traffic, while improving safety and reducing crashes.
“Reducing conflicts on which lane you’re supposed to be in especially in the winter when the lanes are covered up,” said Zull.
The $1.65 million project will be covered by the city’s Vital Streets Fund and MDOT, but it doesn’t come with a headache to the thousands of people traveling the Medical Mile every day.
“Construct-ability will be a very interesting part of this project,” Zull said. “There are so many people using these roads so direct access to the freeway is going to be difficult to maintain.”
Other construction includes upgrades to the sidewalks and ramps while adding trees, median islands, and other features making it easier for pedestrians.
“Direct access to the freeway is pretty important but we’re also talking about an environment that’s conducive to mobility,” said Zull.
The bulk of work is scheduled to happen between Ionia and Monroe later this year with construction wrapping up in 2017.
