KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The City of Kalamazoo has received $25 million in funding for five street conversion projects as part of the Downtown Kalamazoo Multimodal Transportation Network Improvement Project, the city announced Thursday.
The $25 million is a portion of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $66 million-dollar Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant that was allocated to two other infrastructure projects in Lansing and Detroit.
Funding for the RAISE program is part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which seeks to improve historically disadvantaged areas by making transportation infrastructure more resilient, accessible, affordable, and environmentally-friendly, officials said.
In Kalamazoo, the funding will go towards the conversion of one-way streets to two-way streets to create a connected multi-modal network, the city said.
About three-and-a-half miles of road segments will be worked on as part of this project and are as follows, according to officials:
- West Main Street from Douglas Avenue to Michigan Avenue.
- South Street from Stadium Drive to South Pitcher Street.
- Lovell Street from Stadium Drive to Portage Street.
- Stadium Drive from Lovell Street to Michigan Avenue.
- Douglas Avenue from Kalamazoo Avenue to West Michigan Avenue.
The city said residents can expect the following upgrades to these areas:
- New sidewalks, lighting, and bicycle lanes.
- Traffic calming measures and improved traffic flows.
- Reduced transportation-related air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
- More affordable transportation choices and reduced transportation cost burdens.
Construction is slated to begin in August of 2027.