Kalamazoo Times

Planning to return Kalamazoo Avenue to a two-way street will begin with a series of community engagement events starting in July. Outreach events are planned in the Stuart, Northside, and Downtown neighborhoods. Staff will be seeking feedback on what amenities community members would like to see in the final design.

City staff from the Community Planning & Economic Development and Public Services departments will be available at each event to discuss ideas. There will be activities to help generate ideas as well.

• Stuart, Douglas, and West Main Hill Neighborhoods Open House: Thursday, July 28
  • 6 – 8 p.m. at Station #5 (619 Douglas Avenue)
  • Meet with staff, map activity, walking activity starts at 7 p.m.
• NACD National Night Out: Tuesday, August 2
  • 4 – 7 p.m. at Northside Association for Community Development (NACD) (612 Park Street)
  • Meet with staff, Lego table and map activity
• Art Hop: Friday, August 5
  • 5 – 8 p.m. at the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo (359 S Kalamazoo Mall Ste 203)
  • Meet with staff, map activity
• Arcadia Creek Festival Site: Friday, August 19
  • 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Arcadia Creek Festival Site (145 E Water Street)
  • Meet with staff, walking activity at 5:30 p.m., games, Lego table
• Lunchtime Live!: August 5, 12, 19, 26
  • 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Bronson Park (200 S Rose Street)
  • Meet with staff, map activity
• Business Open Town Hall: Tuesday, August 23
  • 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Catalyst Center (180 E Water St)
  • Meet with Staff

All events are open house-style. Attendance for the entire event is not necessary. Each event (except the Business Town Hall) will include a prize drawing for a $25 gift card to a participating business in the Stuart, Northside, or Downtown neighborhoods.

Construction to convert Kalamazoo Avenue to two-way is expected to occur in 2024 and 2025. The design process is currently underway and community feedback will be an essential part of the design. The design is expected to take approximately 18 months.

The project will include above-ground streetscape work as well as updating utilities, some of which are more than 100 years old. The project will also include smart traffic signals, transit upgrades, and pedestrian improvements. Streetscape work could also include lighting, signalized pedestrian crossing and signage, pedestrian bump outs, benches, street trees, and other amenities.

About Streets for All

Streets for all is a project to redesign several major streets in Kalamazoo to create a street network that meets the needs of the community, promotes safe transportation for all modes, and fosters more vibrant public places. Starting in 1965, many downtown streets in Kalamazoo were converted from two-way to one-way traffic with wide, highway-like lanes. These streets create barriers for many Kalamazoo residents and visitors – pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists.

After decades of discussion, clear direction from the Imagine Kalamazoo Master Plan, and transfer of control of these streets to the City of Kalamazoo from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in 2019, the City has an opportunity to redesign the way the streets function and transform Kalamazoo’s downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. The first changes are already taking shape with the reconstruction of Stadium Drive and traffic calming work on Westnedge and Park. For more information, visit www.imaginekalamazoo.com/projects/streetsforall

Original source can be found here.