2021 will be a busy year for Kalamazoo as we work to upgrade our infrastructure and improve our streets. More than 40 projects are planned that will make our streets safer, improve pedestrian infrastructure, resurface roadways, and upgrade our utility systems.

We know that road construction can be frustrating, but the short-term inconvenience will improve our infrastructure for years to come. We appreciate your patience while we make these needed investments in our city.

Additional information and expected timelines will be added when available. 

Major Street Projects

Parkview Avenue from Tamsin to Oakland

Postponed to 2022

Due to many essential components not being available in time to complete this project during the 2021 construction season and understanding the burden that road construction can place on residents and businesses, we have made the decision to postpone this project until 2022 rather than to disrupt the area twice.

These delays are the result of supply chain disruptions and other shortages that are being felt nation-wide in several industries. Water valves for example, are anticipated to have a procurement time between 8 and 18 weeks, which would make the planned construction phasing for this project unrealistic.

The Parkview Avenue project will be rebid soon for completion in 2022. The updated project schedule will be shared nearer to the 2022 construction season. The scope of the project will not change and will still include the installation of new water main and improved street and sidewalks. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we adapt to these circumstances. 

Project Details: A coordinated infrastructure project on Parkview Avenue will upgrade aging cast iron water main to a larger and more durable ductile iron. Once completed, the road will be resurfaced, with sidewalk improvements. During construction, local two-way traffic will be maintained as much as possible. Westbound Parkview will be closed to through traffic for much of this project.

Portage Street from Stockbridge to Michigan:  

A coordinated infrastructure project will include roadway reconstruction/rehabilitation,  water main replacement, and partial storm sewer replacement. The 3-lane road diet on Portage Street will be continued north from Walnut to near E Michigan. The sidewalk will be widened on the west side of the street from Stockbridge to Washington to accommodate protected parallel parking, and on street parallel parking will be added to the east side between Collins and Lake to accommodate the Creamery Development. Lighting will be improved within the Washington Square area in accordance with the Edison Neighborhood Plan, the project will include ADA improvements, sidewalk repair, and changes to improve the safety of crosswalks.

Emerald Street from Cork to Miller

This section of road will be milled and overlaid with a new asphalt surface. Sidewalks will be repaired on this stretch of road with funding from the Foundation for Excellence. This work is expected to be completed between mid-April and May.

Miller Road from Portage to Emerald

This section of road will be milled and overlaid with a new asphalt surface. Sidewalks will be repaired on this stretch of road with funding from the Foundation for Excellence. This work is expected to be completed between mid-April and May.

Stockbridge from Crosstown to Portage

This section of road will be milled and overlaid with a new asphalt surface. Sidewalks will be repaired on this stretch of road with funding from the Foundation for Excellence.

E Main Street from Charles to Wallace

This section of road will be milled and overlaid with a new asphalt surface. Sidewalks will be repaired on this stretch of road with funding from the Foundation for Excellence. This work is expected to take approximately three weeks and be scheduled July-September. 

Water Street from Westnedge to Rose

This section of road will be milled and overlaid with a new asphalt surface. Sidewalks will be repaired on this stretch of road with funding from the Foundation for Excellence.

Oakland Drive at Angling Stormwater Replacement

Stormwater infrastructure at the intersection of Oakland Drive and Angling will be replaced and the roadway in the project area will be reconstructed. This is a small and concentrated project located just north of this intersection. During this work, Oakland Drive will only be open to northbound traffic at Angling Rd. This work is expected to start in late March and be finished in late June.

Bank Street Realignment

Bank Street will be realigned at its intersection with Lake Street in coordination with the improvement project at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market and an extension of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail in this area.

South & Westnedge Traffic Signal

To improve safety at this intersection, the traffic signal will be upgraded and repositioned at this intersection. The current wire span signal will be replaced with mast arms, and backplates will be added to the signals.



Local Streets Projects

2021 local streets projects will include a new pavement preservation program to improve the condition of our local streets. These projects will extend the life of roads while they are still in good condition, while others are milled and repaved.

It’s more expensive to repair roads that are in poor condition, so this proactive approach is a cost-effective way to improve our streets. By adding pavement preservation, more than twice as many lane-miles of local streets can be improved in 2021.

These preservation projects will use processes called chip sealing and fog sealing to extend pavement life. Chip sealing is a multi-step process. An aggregate (small stones) is applied to the street over a layer of liquid asphalt. The aggregate is then compacted and swept to remove excess material. A top coating of asphalt is applied (fog sealing) to complete the process. This creates a flat and uniform surface with a waterproof seal. Chip and fog sealing were used on Burdick Street in 2017 with great results.

For “mill and overlay” projects, the surface of the street is milled, and new asphalt is laid on top. The result of both types of projects is a smooth and uniform roadway surface.

With the addition of pavement preservation, 19 lane-miles of local streets will be improved this year, compared to 9 in 2020. 

Mill and overlay projects:

  • Weaver Avenue

  • James Street from Miller to Stockbridge

  • Wells Place from James to March

  • Fulford Street from Lake to end

  • Konkle Street from Cork to Bloomfield

  • LuLu Street from Cobb to N Westnedge

  • Frank Street Railroad Crossing

  • Hillcrest Avenue from Oakland to Indiana

  • Ferdon Road

  • E Belmont Street from Belmont to Vanzee

  • Woodward Avenue from Kalamazoo to W North

  • Old Orchard Place

  • Oak Street from Pioneer to Wheaton

  • Pioneer Street from Low to Westnedge

  • Grand Avenue

  • Bronson Circle

Pavement preservation projects:

  • St Antoine Avenue

  • Donnegal Avenue

  • Dublin Avenue

  • S Kendall Avenue & Westfall Avenue

  • Farrell Avenue from Michigan to Hylle

  • Berkshire Drive from Eldridge to Hilboro

  • Nottingham Avenue from Portage to Somerset

  • Bloomfield Avenue from Portage to Mayfair

  • Dorchester Avenue from Portage to Penway

  • Canterbury Avenue from Drake to Frays Park

  • Westbury Lane

  • Darby Lane

  • Iroquois Trail from Turwill to Dead end

  • Highgate Rd from Devonshire to Dead end

  • Golfview Ave from Portage to Penway