Howard Street reopens with new roundaboutsAug. 25, 2010 KALAMAZOO--Howard Street north of the main campus of Western Michigan University will reopen to traffic Friday, Aug. 27, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m.
Two roundabouts will provide a westbound link between Howard and the Arboretum Parkway, which runs west to Drake Road. They are the first roundabouts built by the city of Kalamazoo, but not the first in Kalamazoo. The region's first roundabout was completed on the WMU campus almost exactly six years ago, Aug. 20, 2004, connecting West Michigan, Knollwood and Rankin avenues. The $706,220 city of Kalamazoo project was funded in part by the WMU Foundation. The Arboretum Parkway serves the Kalamazoo Public Schools' Linden Grove Middle School and land owned by the WMU Foundation. Participating in the ribbon cutting are Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell, KPS Superintendent Michael Rice and Robert Miller, WMU associate vice president for community outreach, representing the foundation. Other projects completed this week West Michigan Avenue, next to the Student Recreation Center and Kanley Track, has been partially closed to traffic since the beginning of August for resurfacing and extensive curb work. It will be completed by Friday, Aug. 27. Western Avenue resurfacing from Read Fieldhouse to the Miller Parking Ramp also will be completed by Friday. A variety of other projects, including extensive renovations of the Bernhard Center main lobby and Davis Dining Hall, are completed or will be completed by Friday, in time for the arrival of new students. Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News |
Closed to traffic since mid-June for construction of two new roundabouts, Howard is the only direct route from West Campus to West Main Street. During construction, students, employees and visitors have had to detour as much as four miles out of their way. The new roundabouts, however, will greatly improve traffic flow for everyone in the immediate area and thoughout the west side of the city.