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Kalamazoo Two-Way Street Conversions
Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo
,
MI
Two-way Street Conversions Revitalize Downtown Connections
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The project team has undergone a robust community engagement exercise working with the City of Kalamazoo to realize the benefits of two-way conversions.
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The City of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was looking to attract more residents to its downtown area. The street network includes two major one-way streets that act as a “business loop” enabling large vehicles to travel and maneuver through the city, but making it complex for visitors to park, dine, shop, and explore. Progressive Companies is helping the city to redesign these major roads into two-way streets that are easier for visitors to explore and navigate comfortably on foot. This project follows decades of discussion; Imagine Kalamazoo’s goal of a Connected City, and transfer of control over roads like Kalamazoo and Michigan Avenues from (MDOT) to the City.
The work goes beyond the above-ground, street work, to include an update of utilities, some more than 100 years old. Eleven traffic signals will be upgraded/modernized as part of this initial process, from diagonal spans to the now-current City of Kalamazoo standard of mast arm traffic signals. Signals will be intelligent and interconnected to allow for maximum flexibility of traffic flow within the signalized corridor for vehicles, while sharing the streets with the non-motorized community/cyclists on dedicated bike lanes and incorporating safer Accessible Pedestrian Signal crossing movements as part of this project.
Two-way streets inherently slow and calm traffic, making them safter for pedestrians. Increasing the visibility of individuals in a downtown environment, drivers are required to “look both ways” and become accustomed to fewer travel lanes in each direction. Fewer travel lanes result in shorter crossing distances as compared to wider, multi-flow veins of traffic all travelling one direction. In addition, two-way lanes lean towards smaller vehicles, and we anticipate fewer large trucks causing emissions and disruption to the downtown in the future.
The project team has undergone a robust community engagement exercise working with the City of Kalamazoo to realize the benefits of two-way conversions. Click here to learn more about the project.
