Big Road Project Downtown Begins This Week

Beginning this Wednesday, June 16, there will be a slight inconvenience to downtown drivers as the City of Grand Rapids will be partially shutting down Ottawa Avenue through downtown, from Michigan to Fulton. Why you ask? Road reconstruction and beautification.

We all will still be able to get through as Ottawa is one-way, but there will only be one lane.

The city says that contractors will begin working on the east side of the street and then move to the west side. While work is occurring on the east side of the street, one lane of traffic will be maintained on the west half of the street along with the parking lane to be made available as loading zones for businesses.

When work shifts to the west side, everything will flip and one lane of traffic will be maintained with the parking lane on the east side of the street available as a loading zone.

No doubt Ottawa certainly need a rehab. Different projects and improvements have left it rather piecemeal in repair. Here is what the city says they are going to do.

• Remove and replace the existing asphalt road surface
• Upgrade sidewalks and the ramps to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act
• Change some curb locations
• Add new street trees, landscaping, and bike parking
• Install new streetlights

All businesses along Ottawa will remain open and all of us will be able to access.

As far as how long this big reconstruction project will take, the city says they should have everything completed and reopened by the time ArtPrize begins in September.