Each day, about 22,600 vehicles travel on Fulton Street between Division Avenue and the Grand River. But the road needs fixing, and the Fulton Fix is underway.
The roadway will get underground upgrades and a fresh coat of pavement, and the project will take place in five phases:
Phase 1 will begin Feb. 24 with a through-traffic closure at the Fulton Street and Monroe/Market Avenue intersection for about three weeks, until March 15. During that time drivers will only be able to go from southbound Monroe Avenue to westbound Fulton Street and eastbound Fulton Street to southbound Market Avenue.
Phase 2 will occur in the Ottawa Avenue and Fulton Street intersection for two additional weeks and should be completed by March 29.
During Phase 2 the Ottawa Avenue and Fulton Street intersection will be shut down.
Phase 3 will take place from March 30 to May 4. Only one lane of traffic in each direction of Fulton Street will be open starting after Ottawa Avenue and up to Division Avenue. There will also be intermittent intersection closures and north/south detours at Ionia, Commerce and Division avenues.
Phase 4 will be from May 12-30. Fulton Street from the Grand River to just east of the Ottawa Avenue intersection will be closed to traffic as crews lay down concrete white topping.
The street will open for the 5/3 River Bank Run May 12.
Phase 5 will run from June 4-23. Fulton Street from just east of the Ottawa Avenue intersection to Division Avenue will be closed to traffic as crews lay down concrete white topping.
Pedestrian access will be maintained through the entirety of the project.
Fixing a road is one challenge. But making sure customers can get to businesses and other services during the construction is another.
City engineer Mark DeClercq told 24 Hour News 8 they're "working with downtown businesses and being sensitive to their needs and we try and put all that into the balance scale so we can try and produce a project with seemless interruption to business owners and other parties around the project."
Story published on woodtv.com by Joe LaFurgey
