Kalamazoo, Michigan, is dealing with a problem seen in a number of cities across the US: a state highway running through the downtown as a “couplet,” two parallel one-way streets. These two wide and fast state-owned routes cut through a downtown neighborhood full of parks, restaurants, and museums near Western Michigan University. Six lanes with no visual friction from oncoming traffic encouraged high speeds–a dangerous situation for people who hope to enjoy downtown on foot. Kalamazoo is taking big steps to reverse past car-centric decisions and improve safety for everyone by regaining ownership over state routes and converting them back to two-way streets.
How is Downtown Kalamazoo moving in the right direction?
- Jurisdictional transfer: In 2019, Kalamazoo regained ownership of state routes through the city, including sections of Stadium Drive, Westnedge Avenue, Park Street, Michikal Street, Michigan Avenue, and Kalamazoo Avenue. The agreement puts the city in charge of the maintenance and design of these routes, which will no longer function as state highways. This means Kalamazoo can now implement the street improvements previously proposed for downtown without the approval of Michigan DOT (MDOT). For residents, this means that they have a more direct connection to the changes being made, with opportunities to have their concerns addressed by their local government, which was not happening from the state.
- Street design projects: The jurisdictional transfer was enabled by the city’s long-term strategic plan, Imagine Kalamazoo 2025. The vision of this plan includes a conversion of the downtown grid back into two-way streets and slowing traffic, which the city is able to implement with control of its roads. The Street Network Design Project, completed in 2020, affirmed that the community wants the downtown road network to be redesigned to slow vehicular speeds and improve connectivity for people walking and biking in the neighborhood. In addition to the two-way conversion, the plan includes reducing the number of vehicle lanes, adding pedestrian crossings, and installing bike facilities.
- Community engagement: The planning process for the strategic plan and related safety improvements involved extensive community engagement through workshops, surveys, walk audits, and other forms of outreach and participation. With every new streetscape project, the city conducts more public participation to confirm the community’s desire to continue with Imagine Kalamazoo and to conduct more detailed planning for the work to be done.
What’s next for these improvement projects?
Construction for these safety improvement projects is underway, starting with Kalamazoo Avenue and Michikal Street. Surface treatments have already been installed to reduce lanes, narrow lane widths, and provide bike facilities on Westnedge Avenue, Park Street, and Michigan Avenue. Pilot projects funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All program are being implemented in 2024.
Highway Safety Improvement Program funds from MDOT and Reconnecting Communities Pilot funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will support these ongoing efforts for Downtown Kalamazoo. While the funds are much needed to support change, the IIJA money is received through MDOT. This results in ongoing negotiations on design and other issues between the city and state DOT even though the facilities are under city control.
Thank you to Nolan Bergstrom, Dennis Randolph, and Christina Anderson for their contributions to this case study.