KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — There have been discussions for years about untangling downtown Kalamazoo’s system of one way streets, improving street parking and making the central city more user-friendly for pedestrians and bike riders, but it’s been mostly talk for the last few decades.
There have been a few consultants who have drawn up plans, but they never went anywhere. The city has trimmed back a few one way streets, but just on the edges of the city. There has also never been money for real change.
Downtown Kalamazoo used to be a normal American downtown, with streets that were once dirt roads with hitching posts. Cars came along and Michigan Avenue was paved over. People would drive down, do their business and go home.
In the late 50s, to combat the flight to the suburbs, Kalamazoo adopted the Gruen Plan to create the nation’s first downtown pedestrian mall, with its plans for ring roads and traffic flows. But only part of the plan, the Downtown Mall, was ever built. It was what made Kalamazoo the “Mall City,” but it was only partially executed.
It has been tweaked and adjusted but never fully realized. There is no proof it would have worked even if it had been completed. Revolution turns into evolution, and the its resulted in the current state of Downtown Kalamazoo .
There was more talk at a Michigan Department of Transportation public forum Wednesday night in Kalamazoo, and while it may not result in immediate changes or the big changes some seek, it may eventually result in some enhancements.
MDOT’s main focus is on the big roads — Michigan, Park, Westnedge and Kalamazoo avenues. Side streets fall under the city’s jurisdiction.
On Wednesday, state transportation officials spread maps out on tables at Metro Transit headquarters and let the public propose improvements. Some ideas referred to specific intersections. Other ideas referred to alterations to the overall project area which, stretched from Howard Street to Riverview Drive.
Like most things, it gets very complicated very quickly, because a small change in one place will create problems elsewhere, and without a lot of careful planning, big changes can create a lot of unforeseen issues. This was the first step.
Jason Latham, MDOT’s Region Planning Manager, said they are trying to come up with a plan to balance the needs of drivers, bikers and pedestrians while maintaining maximum capacity and safety. They don’t have the money yet either, but if they have a plan ready, when the money becomes available they will have ideas on how to spend it.
Previous plans involved slowing the traffic on Michigan Avenue, perhaps even returning Michigan and Kalamazoo avenues back to two-way streets. There have been past proposals that would add angled parking and trees, and a dedicated bike lane to the streetscape on Michigan Avenue near the Downtown Mall to make it easier for pedestrians to cross with center dividers.
There are others who argue that bikers and walkers are vastly outnumbered by motorists who currently use it 12 months a year as a quick way to get from one side to the other and they like things the way they are.
Right now, Latham says the only concrete plans they have are to repave Stadium Drive near Howard without changing the design of the intersection next construction season. As for downtown planning, MDOT is in phase one, which is data collection and public input.
Phase two will occur from this summer to next spring and will involve collecting more input on need, doing measurements and environmental and traffic studies and listing alternatives.
Making decisions on the plan will come in phase three next summer and should conclude with a final report next September. Then it will be added to the state’s big wish list for road projects and the long wait for funding will begin.
The reality is that, right now, the state is just doing maintenance and replacement projects, like repaving roads and replacing outdated and deteriorating ramps and bridges. New projects and major changes to existing roadways are only authorized when there is a specific economic gain to be realized, like building an all-weather road to a new factory.
Kalamazoo’s downtown improvements may not rise high on a list that includes a state full of crumbling bridges and aging highways. Given the state’s current plan for road funding, it could be a very long wait.
