Kalamazoo receives $25M RAISE Grant Award
Published on June 27, 2024
The planned restructuring of some Kalamazoo thoroughfares is receiving a major fiscal boost from the federal government. The City of Kalamazoo received a $25 million RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Grant Award, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced. It is the largest of three announced RAISE grants in Michigan to be awarded by the Department of Transportation.
The award will fund the rebuilding of five segments of Kalamazoo streets as part of the Streets For All initiative. Streets For All is an effort to create a connected City of Kalamazoo and have streets that meet the needs of the community, provide safe transportation for everyone, and foster a more vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive Downtown. Over the course of several years, several downtown streets will be reconstructed to convert them to two-way traffic, modernize underground utilities, and incorporate safer and more people-focused street-level designs.
The street segments being rebuilt and funded from the RAISE Grant Award specifically include West Main from Douglas Avenue to Michigan Avenue, South Street from Stadium Drive to South Pitcher Street, Lovell Street from Stadium Drive to Portage Street, Stadium Drive from Lovell to Michigan, and Douglas from Kalamazoo Avenue to West Main. Construction on the street segments is expected to begin in August 2027.
Proposed Project Details
West Main from Douglas to Michigan: West Main will be two-way with two lanes in each direction. The existing curb will be maintained, and intersections updated. The pavement will be milled and resurfaced. Left turn lanes will be added. The storm sewer will be replaced, and the pedestrian crossing distance will be minimalized through refuge islands.
South from Stadium to South Pitcher: South Street will have one lane in each direction, with on-street parking in segments. Existing curb lines will be maintained except for bump-outs at intersections and Metro bus stops. The street will be restriped for two-way traffic, and pavement will be milled and resurfaced. Left turn lanes will be incorporated at intersections, and signals updated to accommodate two-way traffic. A new storm sewer will be installed, and Metro bus stops upgraded.
Lovell from Stadium to Portage: Lovell Street will be converted from one-way to two-way. The street will have two configurations: the first portion has one lane in each direction and on-street parking; the second section has one lane in each direction, four-foot buffers on each side, and dedicated directional bike lanes along the curb. The street will be milled and resurfaced, left turn lanes added, signals relocated or redesigned to accommodate two-way traffic and pedestrian movements, and the railroad crossings modified. The storm sewer will be replaced, and existing lighting will remain.
Stadium from Division to Lovell to Michigan: There will be a modified roundabout (multiple intersections) with a metering light for traffic flow. Two lanes will exist to the north of the roundabout, with a grassy center median. Academy Street will be a right-in, right-out intersection. A pedestrian crossing will be installed mid-block with a HAWK (high-intensity activated crosswalk beacon) signal. All surfaces will be milled and resurfaced. The storm sewer will be replaced to meet current 100-year flood capacity. LED high-efficiency lighting will replace existing fixtures, and a shared-use bike/pedestrian facility will be installed.
Douglas from Kalamazoo to West Main: When complete, Douglas will exist with one lane in each direction and a center left turn lane. There will be no on-street parking. The existing pavement will be milled and resurfaced. The Metro bus line will be included in the upgrades. A new sidewalk will be installed. The storm sewer will be replaced, as well as signals at the new intersections, incorporating pedestrian crossings with push buttons and signal coordination. Lighting will be relocated and replaced, and signs and signals will be developed for two-way traffic.