Lead service replacement work on Westnedge Avenue between Vine Street and Maple Street has been completed, and as a result the pop-up bike lane along Westnedge Avenue has been reopened. Lead service replacement work will shift south of Maple Street to Whites Road and is expected to be completed by the end of October.
In preparation for winter, the traffic cones marking the pop-up bike lanes on Westnedge Avenue and Park Street will be replaced with paint and plastic bollards. Paint and bollards will be installed before the end of the construction season and will remain in place into the winter to test the pilot in all seasons. Traffic data and feedback will be collected throughout the pilot so that adjustments can be made if needed before permanent installation when the streets are resurfaced and repainted in 2023 and 2024.
The pilot bike lanes on Westnedge Avenue and Park Street will be maintained into the winter. The bike lanes will be plowed of snow after major road routes are cleared, which is expected to be between 24 to 48 hours after the end of a snow event.
Green streetbond will also be added to mark bike lane areas through the intersections of Park and Michigan, Park and Kalamazoo, Westnedge and Michigan, and Westnedge and Kalamazoo during the last week of October. Streetbond is a type of pavement coating that is more durable and lower maintenance than traditional paint and can also help extend the life of the pavement. These green areas will help increase visibility and awareness of where drivers should expect bicyclists to be when traveling through intersections.
Residents can share their input on the pop-up bike lanes through an online survey at www.opentownhall.com/12148. Residents who encounter any issues with the pilot bike lanes such as damaged cones, bollards, or parked cars, are asked to call 311 or (269) 337-8000 to report the issue.
This work is part of a project launched in 2021 to calm traffic on Westnedge Avenue and Park Street, which focused on slowing vehicle traffic to make streets safer and more comfortable for all users and better aligning the streets with the adjacent neighborhoods. This work is also part of implementation for the Vine Neighborhood Plan which called for buffered bike lanes on Westnedge Avenue and Park Street.
More information on this project is available at www.imaginekalamazoo.com/projects/westnedgepark
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up