City plans $28 million in street and sidewalk improvements

Published on May 25, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – As Grand Rapids begins its ninth season of ramped-up road construction, the community can again expect to see improvements to streets and sidewalks throughout the city this summer. During a recent City Commission meeting, the Vital Streets Oversight Commission presented an update on the Vital Streets program and what street and sidewalk projects are planned for fiscal year 2023 (FY2023).

Since 2014, the Vital Streets millage has allowed the City to complete preventative maintenance and reconstruction of 543 miles of streets. This year, the City plans to work on an additional 29 miles. Grand Rapids also plans to dedicate a total of $1.8 million for various sidewalk repair and construction projects in all three city wards.

In the past year, the Vital Streets Oversight Commission engaged with the community virtually while also ensuring health and safety. Along with hosting eight virtual community meetings, the commission maintained communications with residents by reaching out directly with mailers, responding to over 326 service message requests from 311, offering surveys through Public Input and providing Spanish translation for all mailers. Citizens weighed in on their priorities for projects and spending of Vital Streets dedicated millage dollars.

Vital Streets projects not only improve the streets and sidewalks for drivers, but they also concentrate on improving these spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. Last year, the City added 3.4 miles of new bicycle facilities with nearly seven miles of new bicycle trails added in Neighborhoods of Focus. The City has also emphasized the increase of green infrastructure by adding over 561 street trees, 3,400 square feet of porous pavers and 20 porous tree grates. This year, the City plans to add two more miles of bicycle facilities in addition to making changes to existing bicycle facilities for better signage and cyclist access.

Vital Streets projects are backed by a voter-approved plan in 2014 that extended a local income tax levy for 15 years. Vital Street investment, along with a road funding commitment by the State of Michigan, ensures that 70 percent of Grand Rapids city streets reach fair to good condition by 2030. Since 2014, Grand Rapids has gone from 37 percent of streets in good or fair condition to 62 percent thanks to the Vital Streets program.

Below is a partial list of 2022 road construction projects with no start dates set to date. Street projects, listed in alphabetical order, may be carried over to the next construction season. A partial list of street paving projects planned by the City’s Public Works Department also is included. Other locations may be added.

Rotomill/resurfacing (* may include Lead Water Service Replacement)

·       29th Street – Breton to East City Limits (2022)

·       9th Street NW – Fremont to Alpine* (2023)

·       12th Street NW – Tamarack to Alpine*

·       Alto Avenue SE – Worden to Franklin*

·       Ball Avenue – Leonard to Knapp (2023)

·       Ball Avenue – Michigan to Plymouth (2023)

·       Ballard Street SE – Kalamazoo to Giddings*

·       Beechwood Street – Plainfield to Diamond

·       Benjamin Avenue NE – Elmdale to Parkway

·       Benjamin Avenue SE – Hope to Fulton*

·       Beulah Street SE – Lafayette to Madison*

·       Botsford Place NE – 3 Mile to Wolverine

·       Brookfield Avenue NE – Lamberton to Kendalwood

·       Butterworth Street – O’Brien to Marion (2023)

·       Calvin Avenue SE – Hall to Franklin*

·       Capen Street NE – Eastern to Houseman

·       Coit Avenue NE – Bradford to Matilda*

·       Collindale Avenue – Lake Michigan to Leonard (2022)

·       Country Club Drive NE – Sweet to Westlane and Westlane Drive NE – Washtenaw to Country Club

·       Courtney Street NW – Valley to Garfield*

·       Crescent Street NE – Grand to Fuller* (2023)

·       Crescent Street NE – Lafayette to Grand

·       Cranbrook Street – Perkins Street to East end

·       Crescent Avenue NE – Lafayette to Grand

·       Dale Street – Monroe to Center and Coit to Plainfield

·       Dawson Avenue – Knapp to Calgary and South end to Aberdeen

·       Division Avenue - Quigley to Cottage Grove

·       Eastern Avenue – 400’ South of 44th to 28th  (2023)

·       Edgewood Avenue SE – Ridgecroft to Burton

·       Effie Place NE – Jessie to North End

·       Emerald Avenue NE – Flat to Arbor

·       Francis Avenue SE – Burton to Crofton*

·       Fremont Avenue NW – Myrtle to Webster*

·       Fuller Avenue NE – Knapp to 3 Mile (2023)

·       Garfield Avenue NW – Walker to 12th*

·       Gold Avenue – Butterworth to Fulton*

·       Grand Avenue NE – Flat to Lydia*

·       Grand Avenue NE – Frontage to Flat* (2023)

·       Griggs Street SE – Kalamazoo to Giddings*

·       Hall Street SE – Sylvan to Plymouth

·       Harlan Avenue NE – Frontage to Flat* (2023)

·       Hollister Avenue SE – Wealthy to Fairmount

·       Innes Street NE – Diamond to Fuller

·       Kendalwood Street NE – Coit to East end

·       Kendalwood Street NE – Waterford to Kensboro

·       Kensboro Avenue NE – Plainfield to Stokes

·       Kentridge Drive – 44th to Kendall

·       Kentwood Street NE – Oakwood to Plainfield*

·       Leffingwell Avenue NE – South of Leonard to Leonard

·       Linden Avenue SE – Griggs to Dickinson*

·       Lyon Street – Monroe Avenue to Division Avenue

·       Merrifield Street SE – Blaine to Nelson

·       Mulford Drive SE – Ridgemoor to Woodcliff

·       Orville Street SE – Kalamazoo to Giddings*

·       Powers Avenue NW – Webster to Richmond*

·       Race Street – Diamond to Fuller

·       Raybrook Avenue SE – Claystone to South End

·       Raybrook Avenue SE – Claystone to Burton

·       Silver Street SE – Orville to Boston

·       Stilesgate Court – Stilesgate to North End

·       Thelma Avenue SE – Burton to Ardmore

·       Turner Avenue NW – 6th to US131 SB On-Ramp and US131 SB Off-Ramp to Richmond

·       Union Avenue NE – Lyon to Crescent

·       Union Avenue SE – Worden to Franklin*

·       Walnut Street NE – Benjamin to Carlton

·       Wealthy Street SW – 300’ West of Front to Grand River

·       Webster Street – West End to Fremont*

·       Wilbert Avenue NE – Oakwood to Plainfield*

 

Other road projects

·       Burton Street Alley – Marshall Alley to Marshall and Marshall Avenue Alley – Merritt to Burton (Reconstruction)

·       Cesar S. Chevaz Avenue – Beacon to Franklin (water main, sewer separation, reconstruction)

·       College Avenue – Leonard Street to Sweet Street (water main, reconstruction)

·       Chestnut Street SW – 570 feet west of Godfrey to Godfrey (sewer separation, reconstruction) (2023)

·       Eastern Avenue SE – Burton to Ardmore (water main, reconstruction) (2023)

·       Emerald Avenue NE – Leonard to Sweet (water main, reconstruction)

·       Fuller Avenue – Adams to Alexander (water main, reconstruction)

·       Fuller Avenue – Kalamazoo to Adams (water main, rotomill/resurfacing) (2023)

·       Garfield Avenue – Fulton to Bridge, Veto Street – Valley to Garfield and California Street – Valley to Garfield (water main, reconstruction)

·       Giddings Avenue SE – Burton Street to Boston Street (water main, reconstruction)

·       Houseman Avenue – Leonard to Spencer (water main, reconstruction)

·       Jackson Street – Valley Avenue to Garfield Avenue and Lane Avenue to Jackson Place (water main, sanitary sewer, reconstruction)

·       Lake Eastbrook Boulevard SE – East Beltline to 28th Street (water main, reconstruction)

·       Market Avenue – Wealthy to Fulton and Fulton Street – Grand River to Market (sanitary sewer, reconstruction)

·       Milton Street SE – Carlton to Norwood (reconstruction, lead water service replacement) (2023)

·       Norwich Avenue SW – Curve to Hayden (sewer separation, water main, reconstruction, resurfacing)

·       Ottawa Avenue NE – Hastings to Newberry (water main, reconstruction/resurfacing)

·       Ottawa Avenue/Monroe Avenue/Coldbrook Street Intersection (water main, reconstruction) (2023)

·       Oxford Street SW – Norwich to Godfrey (sewer separation, reconstruction) (2023)

·       Page Street NE – West end to Carmen; Lister Court NE – West end to Plainfield; Plainfield Avenue NE – Leonard to Grove and Carrier Street NE – Plainfield to Lafayette (water main, reconstruction/resurfacing)

·       Prospect Avenue – Burton to Griggs and Garden to Highland (water main, reconstruction)

·       Richards Avenue – Fulton to Sibley (water main, reconstruction)

·       Robinson Road – Lake to Plymouth (water main, reconstruction/rotomill/resurfacing) (2023)

·       State Street – Lafayette to Madison/Cherry (water main, reconstruction) (2023)

·       Straight Avenue – Wealthy to Emperor and Wealthy Street - Straight to Grand River (water main, reconstruction/resurfacing)

·       Valley Avenue NW – Fourth to Walker (water main, reconstruction)

 

Preventative Maintenance of Bridges:

·       Division Avenue

·       Alpine Avenue

·       College Avenue

·       Leffingwell Avenue

 

Public Works Department resurfacing projects:

·       2nd NW from Valley to Garfield

·       Aberdeen NE from Ball to Fuller

·       Adams SE from Allerton to Calvin

·       Adams SE from Plymouth to Gladstone

·       Alexander SE from Eastern to Union

·       Arlington NE from Fuller to Diamond

·       Bates SE from Benjamin to Fuller

·       Benjamin SE from Adams to Hall

·       Blyth NW from Richmond to Ducoma

·       Botsford NE from Wright to Wolverine

·       Bradford NE from Service to Ball

·       Cedar NE from Ball to Benjamin

·       Clancy NE from railroad tracks to Fairbanks

·       College NE from 4 Mile to North Park

·       Comstock NE from Oakwood to Union

·       Cora NW from Valley to Van Buren

·       Cottage Grove SE from College to Madison

·       Covell NW from Richmond to Leonard

·       Doroll NE from Doroll to Fuller

·       Ecklund NE from east dead end to Fuller

·       Elkhart NE from east dead end to Fuller

·       Elmdale NE from Coit to Briggs

·       Emerson NW from Webster to Richmond

·       Front NW from Myrtle to Webster

·       Front NW from Webster to Leonard

·       Garfield NW from 2nd to Bridge

·       Giddings SE from Wealthy to Thomas

·       Grand NE from Michigan to Lyon

·       Hillmount NW from Walker to Derby

·       Kentview NE from West Kentview to East Kentview

·       Lafayette SE from Pleasant to Sycamore

·       Lafayette SE from Brown to Burton

·       Lane NW from 4th to 2nd

·       Lane SW from Fulton to Butterworth

·       Maridel Place SW from Butterworth to Park

·       Mayfield NE from Lyon to Fulton

·       Milford NW from west dead end to Covell

·       Norfolk SE from Woodlawn to Rosemont

·       North Park NE from Eastern to Coit

·       Northwood NE from Plainfield to 3 Mile

·       Paris NE from Elmdale to North Park

·       Parkhurst NW from Milford to Leonard

·       Perkins NE from Knapp to Leonard

·       Phillips SW from Stevens to Hall

·       Pleasant SW from Oakland to Grandville

·       Richard Terrace SE from Wealthy to Lake Dr.

·       Ridgcroft SE from south dead end to Alger

·       Riverside NE from Boltwood to Cheshire

·       Riverside NE from Russwood to Sligh

·       Sligh NE from Union to Coit

·       Spencer NE from Diamond to Portland

·       Union SE from Hoyt to Alger

·       Watson SW from Front to Winter

·       Webster NW from Scribner to Front

·       West Kentview NE from south dead end to Kentview

 

Sidewalk Repair

The repair and replacement of sidewalks throughout Grand Rapids neighborhoods are an important part of the Vital Streets program. This summer, City inspectors will be in each neighborhood marking out the sidewalks to be replaced. Properties that have sidewalk repairs in sections that cross through their driveways will get 48-hour notice posted to their property informing of them of the upcoming work and expected duration the driveway will be unavailable. The duration of work in front of any home will average one week, which includes removal, forming of sidewalks, pouring of concrete and restoration of lawns.

 

Systematic sidewalk work will take place in the following areas:

First Ward – The contract will be partially in the Shawmut Hills and West Grand neighborhoods.  Sidewalk repairs will be in the general area bounded by Leonard Street, Tamarack Avenue, Greenwood Cemetery, and Arianna Street, as well as the area south of Leonard Street from the West City Limit, 8th Street and Garfield Avenue.  Work is scheduled for April through June.
 
Second Ward – The contract will be partially in the Michigan Oaks and Midtown neighborhoods.  Sidewalk repairs will be in the general area bounded by I-196, Fulton Street, College Avenue, and Somerset Drive.  Work is scheduled for September through November.
 
Third Ward – The contract will be partially in the Ottawa Hills, Southeast End, and Eastgate neighborhoods.  Sidewalk repairs will be in the general area bounded by Hall Street, Boston Street, Kalamazoo Avenue, and East City limit.  Work is scheduled for July through August.

Updates on the City’s Vital Streets projects are available HERE or by calling 311 or 616.456.3000.