By City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has released its tentative road construction and maintenance schedule for the summer.
The City Commission approved the resurfacing and maintenance program, which includes improvements to 30 miles of major and local roads, at a cost of $1.4 million. The projects are funded through the Michigan Transportation Fund, which is supported by taxes on the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel as well as the fees collected by the Secretary of State for vehicle registrations.
Pavement management decisions are made in accordance with industry principles based on hard data, such as the PASER ratings obtained each year. Kentwood maintains the highest-rated major street network in Kent County according to data compiled by the Grand Valley Metro Council.
“Quality roads are critical to a safe and functioning community. We appreciate the patience of residents and businesses as we work to maintain and improve this important infrastructure,” said Kentwood City Engineer Dan VanderHeide. “Crews will work as quickly as possible to minimize impacts on commuters.”
Major streets scheduled for maintenance include:
Kalamazoo Avenue – 52nd Street to 60th Street
East Paris Avenue – 52nd Street to 60th Street
Breton Avenue – 44th Street to 52nd Street, excluding the roundabout
Walma Avenue – 44th Street to Breton Avenue, excluding the roundabout
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, slag and fog treatments, which help to protect the roads from water and sun damage, on Kalamazoo, East Paris, Breton and Walma are slated to begin Aug. 1 and be completed before schools are back in session. Slag and fog seal treatments are also scheduled for 50th Street, Falcon View Avenue, Air Lane Drive and Barden Court at that time.
Mill and pave work on Kalamazoo is slated to begin Aug. 9 and be completed before schools are back in session. There will be lane closures from 52nd Street to 60th Street for up to four days while the work is underway. Traffic delays should be anticipated; commuters may need to find alternate routes.
A number of neighborhood roads will receive cape seal treatments in September. A cape seal is a multiple component treatment designed to create a smooth surface with increased durability. Cape seal projects will take two non-consecutive days on each segment of road, and no street parking will be available while the work occurs.
Other preventative street maintenance work, including routine street marking, crack sealing and patching is scheduled to take place during the summer months as crews have capacity. The City aims to have its resurfacing and routine maintenance completed by the end of September.
The City plans to display message boards on major streets to give commuters advance notice of when closures will begin. Commuters can also receive updates via the City’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter) and website (kentwood.us).
Other road construction projects outside of the 2019 Street Resurfacing and Routine Maintenance Program include:
The reconstruction of Rondo and Gerda streets east of Kalamazoo Avenue, underway and expected to be complete in August.
The rehabilitation of Sparks Drive and Forest Hill Avenue from East Paris to Burton, currently underway with substantial completion in August.
The reconstruction of the intersection at 44th Street and Patterson Avenue, managed by the Kent County Road Commission, which is also slated for completion in August.
For more information, including a map of street resurfacing and repairs, visit kentwood.us.
