City of Kentwood Announces Summer Road Projects
The City of Kentwood has released its tentative road construction and maintenance schedule for the summer.
The City Commission approved the resurfacing and maintenance program, which includes improvements to 30 miles of major and local roads, at a cost of $1 million. The City aims to have its resurfacing and routine maintenance completed by September.
The projects are funded through the Michigan Transportation Fund, which is supported by taxes on the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel as well as fees collected by the Secretary of State for vehicle registrations.
Road maintenance decisions are made under industry principles based on hard data, such as ratings from the annual Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, also known as PASER, which provides a basis for comparing the quality of roadway segments. The PASER scale is a 1-10 rating system for road pavement conditions that uses visual inspection to evaluate pavement surface conditions.
Kentwood maintains one of the highest-rated major street networks in Kent County, according to hard data compiled by the Grand Valley Metro Council, which is based on PASER ratings.
“We appreciate the partnership of residents and businesses as we work to maintain and improve this important infrastructure,” said Kentwood City Engineer Brad Boomstra. “Quality infrastructure is critical for a safe and functioning community. Understanding the inconvenience and frustration road construction can cause, crews will work as quickly as possible to minimize impact on neighborhoods and drivers.”
In July and August, several neighborhood roads will receive a cape seal, which is a multiple component treatment designed to create a smooth surface with increased durability. Cape seal projects will take two non-consecutive days on each segment of road. Patching and crack sealing work will take place in advance to prepare the road for this treatment.
Affected homeowners were informed via direct mailing. Residents are asked to drive slowly while the treatments are underway and follow the crew’s instructions for the best access to their homes. While the cape seal treatment is underway, there will be no parking allowed on the streets when and where any road work is happening.
Street reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance projects currently underway include:
- Full reconstruction of Andover, Lyles, Heyboer, Blaine, Brinks and 51st streets
- 32nd Street rehabilitation from Breton Avenue to Shaffer Avenue
- Other preventative street maintenance work throughout Kentwood, including routine street marking, crack sealing and patching
Pending any unforeseen circumstances, the work on Andover, Lyles, Heyboer, Blaine, Brinks and 51st streets is expected to be completed by October. The full reconstruction project includes new curb and gutter, sections of water main replacement, storm sewer replacement and construction of sidewalks.
The 32nd Street rehabilitation is a Michigan Department of Transportation project that includes new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer. Drivers are encouraged to seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour that uses 29th Street. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
Last year, Kentwood invested in improvements to 40 miles of major and local roads. Major streets included in the 2020 reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program were:
- East Paris Avenue from 52nd Street to 60th Street
- 52nd Street from Division Avenue to Kellogg Woods Drive
- 29th Street from west city limits near Breton Avenue to 28th Street
- 44th Street from Breton Avenue to Shaffer Avenue
- Reconstruction of Roger B. Chaffee Memorial Boulevard
For more information, including a map of street resurfacing and repairs, visit kentwood.us/construction.
Drivers can also receive updates via the City’s Facebook and Twitter.