Parkview Avenue between Tamsin Avenue and Oakland Drive is now reopened to two-way traffic following a nearly $3 million coordinated infrastructure project to upgrade utilities and reconstruct the street. Crews may be in the roadway as a few remaining details are completed.
Aging cast iron water main between Tamsin Avenue and Oakland Drive was replaced with more durable, and longer lasting ductile iron pipe with four times the capacity. New water service lines and fire hydrants were also installed.
Following underground utility improvements, the roadway was reconstructed and restriped. Vehicle lanes were narrowed to encourage safer speeds and the bike lanes were widened. New sidewalk was installed on the north side of Parkview from Broadway to Barnard, and a crossing with a pedestrian island was added at Barnard to connect the Oakwood and Oakland Drive/Winchell neighborhoods. The pedestrian island features a button-activated flashing pedestrian sign to increase visibility of pedestrians using the crosswalk.
Coordinating work on utilities, streets, and non-motorized features reduces the overall cost and impact of road closures. The Parkview Avenue project is an example of the City of Kalamazoo’s asset management approach, which considers all infrastructure when planning and executing projects.
“We know this project has taken awhile, and we appreciate everyone’s patience throughout it,” said Anthony Ladd, Public Works Division Manager for the City of Kalamazoo. “This was critical work, and although it took a little longer to get it all done at once, the street and utilities are now set up to better serve our community for decades.”
Parkview Avenue is also an example of neighborhood planning in action. The Oakwood, Parkview Hills, and Oakland Drive/Winchell neighborhoods sought improved and widened bike lanes on Parkview Avenue, safer connections between the Oakwood and Oakland Drive/Winchell neighborhoods, and calmed traffic speeds on Parkview Avenue. The Broadway and Parkview intersection was also noted in the Oakwood neighborhood plan to study for crossing.
