Portage Road to Go on Road Diet After Million Dollar Project Approval

Major Commuter Route Gets Safety Upgrade From Four Lanes to Three

The city of Kalamazoo will transform Portage Road from a four-lane highway into a three-lane street with enhanced safety features. The project reduces traffic capacity to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The current four lane configuration on the major commuter route between Kalamazoo and Portage would be reduced to one lane each way. A center turn lane and two bike lanes will operate on either side of the road.

City Manager Malcolm Hankins addressed the decision in a press release. The road diet is part of a larger safety initiative that has already affected several streets throughout the city.

Streets Already Modified Include Whites Road and Oakland Drive

The city has already imposed the diet on Whites Road, Oakland Drive, Parkview Avenue, East Michigan Avenue, and Cork Street. Utilities and public works director James Baker says the modifications have greatly reduced accident rates.

Baker says this time the work will not be as disruptive as some of the other projects they have done in the last few years. The team will resurface the road and paint new pavement markings on Portage Road.

Project Includes Solar Powered Flashing Lights and Refuge Islands

The project also includes new lighting, curbs and gutter, push button pedestrian crossings, refuge islands and flashing lights powered by solar arrays. The repaving project from Stockbridge Avenue to the southern city line at Cork Street is budgeted at just over a million dollars.

Commissioners have just approved the contracts. They did not say when the work will begin. Officials said the project could start as early as this year.

Residents Who Commute on Portage Road Will Feel Impact

Portage Road serves as a critical transportation artery connecting Kalamazoo with Portage. Daily commuters and residents who travel this route will experience the changes.

The reduction in lanes means slower traffic speeds. Safety officials argue this tradeoff reduces dangerous driving behavior and improves outcomes for everyone on the road.