ALLEGAN, Mich. — Construction of a roundabout and associated repaving and upgrades has begun in the southwest section of downtown Allegan, and the Michigan Department of Transportation offers three different detour routes, depending on what road you’re on.
The long detours address traffic that normally would drive through downtown Allegan on it way to another destination. Drivers will still have access to downtown Allegan, but might have to take different local streets.
The focus of the project is creation of a roundabout at the intersection of
M-89/M-40 at Ely and Hubbard streets:
- M-89 is closed between Cutler Street (where M-40 enters Allegan from the north) to 2nd Street, south of the Kalamazoo River.
- M-40 (Jenner Dr) is closed where it meets M-89 south of downtown Allegan.
- Streets connecting to M-89 and M-40 are also closed: Ely, Hubbard, and Trowbridge streets.
Three detour options from MDOT for through traffic are described like this:
- “M-89 will be detoured via 26th Street, 114th Avenue (Hooker Road), Eastern Avenue, Industrial Drive, and 118th Avenue (Babylon Road).
- “M-40 will be detoured via 102nd Avenue, 26th Street, 114th Avenue (Hooker Road), Eastern Avenue, Industrial Drive, and 118th Avenue (Babylon Road).
- “M-89 truck traffic will be redirected via US-131 (Plainwell), M-222 (Monroe Street), Eastern Avenue, Industrial Drive, and 118th Avenue (Babylon Road).”
In 2023, construction was concentrated on Hubbard, Brady, and Locust Streets, part of Allegan’s downtown core. But this year’s project once again affects Hubbard Street, at the west end of the street, and will be sure to affect downtown traffic again.
Some downtown business owners are worried about that, since they were significantly impacted last year.
