Tag Archives: intersection

Intersection of 56th and Ivanrest scheduled to get traffic signal

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , , , ,
A 56th Street reconstruction project includes adding a traffic signal to the intersection of 56th Street and Ivanrest Avenue.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Within a year, the intersection of 56th Street and Ivanrest Avenue will have a traffic light.

 

At its regular Monday night meeting, the Wyoming City Council moved forward on improvements for 56th Avenue – which includes the new traffic signal – by formally accepting the agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the reconstruction project.

 

The project, which is scheduled to start in July of 2018, will include the widening of 56th Street for the addition of a third lane along with sidewalk on the south side and the widening of the bike path on the north side, said Wyoming Public Works Director Bill Dooley during the Monday night council meeting.

 

“Probably the most key to the people out there right now is that we are going to signalize the intersection at 56th and Ivanrest and that was called for in that report for that development over there at Wilson and 56th Street as well,” Dooley said. The intersection is currently a four-way stop. The development Dooley is referring to is the PUD project the Granger Group has been developing and which has met with much opposition from residents. The Wyomig City Council has table that project to November

 

“We wanted to start this year [on 56th Street] but it took longer to get the right-a-ways for the project which have been acquired now,” Dooley said. “We normally would start first thing next spring but Maple Hill Golf Course has a big 40-year celebration and they asked us if we could wait until that is complete which will take place in June. So we will be starting right around the first of July.”

 

The construction costs are estimated at about $2.4 million which includes the city’s portion of $630,500. Dooley note that the cost does not include the city’s engineering and other expenses, which will bring the total project to about $3 million. The city will pay for its portion of construction costs out of its Capital Improvement Fund.

 

Because there are federal monies involved in the project, MDOT will handling the biding process, Dooley said, adding that the project will be put out for bid this fall.

 

Library Sidewalk

 

The Wyoming City Council also accepted a bid for the construction of a concrete sidewalk and lighting to replace an existing dirt path that residents have been taking to get to the KDL Wyoming Branch campus at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The project was awarded to Weick Bros., Inc, for $44,209.25, which was higher than the planned budget for the project as safety lighting was added to it.

 

Currently residents east of the library from the Herman Avenue area have been using a dirt trail to reach the facility. With increase use of the trail, it was determined to improve the pathway and safety of residents with concrete and additional lighting, according to Mayor Jack Poll.

 

The Wyoming City Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

Traffic light in Kentwood scheduled to be replaced

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, , , ,

breton

 

 

 

If your route this week requires you to go through the intersection of 44th Street and Breton Avenue, you might want to find an alternative.

 

For one day only – Wednesday, Dec. 7 – the Kentwood intersection will become a four-way stop while the traffic signal is replaced.

 

“The City of Grand Rapids was able to put in for a federal grant to fund the replacement work at the intersection,” said Tim Bradshaw, City of Kentwood’s Director of Engineering and Inspections. “Grand Rapids owns about an eighth of the intersection and Kentwood owns about seven-eighths of it.

 

“Grand Rapids was able to get about 80 percent in federal funding which helps significantly in creating a better, safer intersection.”

 

The equipment at the intersection was between 25to 30 years old, according Bradshaw. The signal heads and wiring are scheduled to be replaced with work at the intersection having started earlier this week.

 

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the 44th Street and Breton Avenue intersection will be a four-way stop. Commuters passing through that intersection should follow the rules of the road for a four-way stop. Those rules includes yielding to the driver on your right if both vehicles come to the intersection at the same time and yielding to a driver who is at the intersection before you.

 

“We do expect traffic will get backed up there,” Bradshaw said, adding that the work may be done sooner depending on weather. Weather forecasts are indicating snow in the morning which could slow workers down, Bradshaw said.