WMU HOME > ABOUT WMU > WMU NEWS New west entrance opens Friday Aug. 17, 2004 KALAMAZOO--The new west entrance to Western Michigan University's main campus on West Michigan Avenue at Howard Street officially opens to vehicles and pedestrians in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the construction site Friday, Aug. 20, at 4 p.m. University and local officials, including WMU President Judith I. Bailey and Kalamazoo Mayor Robert Jones, will participate in the brief ceremony. Among the features of the "West District Development Project" are a widening of West Michigan Avenue into the campus as a four-lane boulevard, Knollwood Avenue pedestrian underpass and the university's first "roundabout," linking West Michigan, Knollwood and Rankin Avenue. Barring last-minute weather delays, all roads and walkways in the West District Development Project will be completed and open for use beginning Friday. Widening and resurfacing of Howard Street, which was undertaken by the city of Kalamazoo concurrent with the WMU project, may not be completed by Friday's opening, and portions of Howard Street may remain closed to traffic. Major road work began April 26 for the West District Development Project. Roads closed throughout the construction included West Michigan Avenue, Knollwood Avenue and Rankin Avenue in the construction area between Howard Street and Haenicke Hall, and the northbound lanes of Howard from Lawson Arena to north of Campus Point Mall. Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News Office of University Relations Western Michigan University 1903 W Michigan Ave Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA 269 387-8400 www.wmich.edu/wmu/news