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New, safer intersection opens on Stadium DriveAug. 9, 2005 KALAMAZOO--Calling the effort the kind of collaboration that "makes us strong as a community," Western Michigan University President Judith I. Bailey joined local officials today to open the new intersection of West Michigan Avenue and Stadium Drive. The work, begun last spring, was completed as planned in time for the opening of fall semester. The new intersection, with a traffic light, replaces a dangerous diagonal intersection, without traffic light, that funneled West Michigan Avenue traffic onto Stadium Drive at the same point where the Amtrak railroad line crossed West Michigan. Representatives of the Michigan Department of Transportation, Amtrak, WMU and the city of Kalamazoo participated in a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the new intersection. The new road configuration in the area of the intersection also provides safer access to private businesses along West Michigan. During the ceremony, affected businesses were recognized and thanked for their cooperation during the weeks of construction. In addition to Bailey, others who participated in the ceremony were: MDOT's Mark Geib, manager of the Transportation Service Center in Kalamazoo, and Michelle O'Neill, design manager for the project; Jim Marcinkowski of the engineering firm Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment Inc; David B. Klouda, division engineer for Amtrak; Kalamazoo Mayor Robert Jones; and Evie Asken, WMU director of campus planning. Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu WMU News |
