people complaining about how this road when it was widened displaced communities of color in the area, and they seem to be upset that reducing the road/boulevard size is disrespectful to the memory of that.
LSJ has a story about partial closures on Coolidge roughly between Saginaw and Lake Lansing that's planned to last until the end of June. Traffic will be maintained in each direction with one lane.
One thing mentioned is that the road will have a concrete median, but I'm not sure the scale of it or why it's really needed. The road doesn't seem busy enough for that, or maybe it's just to block left turns at certain intersections? Can someone find any info on this?
Mich, I saw that article too today and had the same questions. It looks like they are doing a road diet from 4 lanes to 3 with bike lanes on either side. I assume they are putting in concrete medians in the non-turning sections of the third lane? Interesting how the article and the letter sent to residents does not mention the diet, only on the construction page. Seems like that was a critical piece.
Major Coolidge Road Improvements Project (Project to begin April 15, 2024) – This project will include a mill and resurfacing of Coolidge Road from Saginaw Highway to Lake Lansing Road and a lane reconfiguration from four lanes to three lanes plus two bike lanes. Lane closures will be in place for the duration of the project, and access to local businesses and residents will be maintained as much as possible. For additional information, view the construction notice (PDF) and the map link.
Placing them in the non-turnig sections would block off all left-turns into the private driveways (particularly on the west side of the street). I can't imagine the residents would support that. This is all so weird.
Edit: I see the City Pulse is saying the city sent out postcards on the two options for the MLK reconfiguration to who I assume are Westside residents. I'm not against this kind of engagement in theory, but it's weird this is the first time they do it, and more than that, it undercuts the opinions of the actual traffic engineers employed by the city. If you do it for this project, why not every single project?
I think this is an opportunity for the city to publicly state how they make these decisions, what the usual process is. I'm pretty pissed at the neighbors for misrepresenting this project the second it was announced. But I'm more annoyed that the city had been planning this since at least last year and then doesn't formally spring the large project to the public until they are about to put out bids. If they'd have gotten out in front of this from the beginning, they may have been able to quell some of the early opposition.
Update on the East Lansing Coolidge Road project. The "concrete median" is actually just a concrete island for pedestrians, and will be near Weather Hill Court. And then it looks like the Lansing side of the Coolidge Road project is going to be construction of a sidewalk up to the border (Stonewood Drive) - hadn't ever noticed there wasn't one there, and it's usually the Lansing side of its borders that have sidewalks - and a pedestrian signal. I'm going to try and find out where that signal will be. It'd be nice if it's coordinated with East Lansing so it'd be at the Weather Hill Court island.
I am not sure just what issues they brought up, but I would guess that having all the traffic lanes closer to their homes instead of half on the other side of the very large median. Remembering the old Logan Street, it was really an urban thoroughfare with retail nodes at many of the four corners, homes, businesses, a lot of gas stations, churches, schools and of course Oldsmobile. I know something like that would be difficult to recreate; a neighborhood that was built mainly in the late19th and early 20th centuries. And I'm pretty sure imposable with the unimaginative leaders and builders of Lansing. Something like at least with the density and feel of an urban street life could be something people could feel good about and support. I could see reclaiming the row of former street front lots on both sides for development which would put the current street front lots further back from a smaller greener straighter street. If they put in a streetcar/tram line [dreaming] that would really make this area a popular urban neighborhood.
How this turned out is so ridiculous and undermines public service department. If people are angry , their recourse is to oust the elected politicians who appoint heads of these departments. To let residents - who don't know a road from a highway from a avenue from a boulevard - micro-manage a project like this is crazy. The mayor comes out of this looking weak and indecisive, and he's undermind the hard work of his own city transportation engineers.
So, now, the big-ass boulevard gets left in place, and the important CSO work under the streets gets delayed indefinitely...just because.
Just saw the LSJ article, wow, this is ridiculous. Is Schor really a spineless mayor? Because everything I see points to that being the case. So we are going to jeopardize state funding and leave a problem section of roadway a problem section to allow for more "listening sessions" that ultimately won't resolve the core issue of people not wanting change because change is bad? This really seemed like a no brainer and the flak would be short lived once the new focus issue popped up.
Long term I'd love to see Saginaw and Grand River/Oakland get reconfigured but if people are freaking out about this small slice of outdated superhighway I can't imagine what would happen if they proposed a conversion or road diet on these thoroughfares, assuming MDOT was in agreement.
I've been critical of Schor for awhile, I wish I could say that I'm happy that others are seeing the same thing I have but I'd rather just have a competent and visionary leader.
This MLK fiasco isn't even close to my least favorite thing he's done. Moving the courts and police out of downtown into a low slung two-floor suburban-style complex complete with a big parking lot in front while costing the tax payers over $100 million in the process takes the cake imo. His actions over the city hall move have been every bit as bad: publicly scoffing at Council's very reasonable request that a new rfp be issued for what was a fundamentally different project from the previous rfp, even alluding to throwing the money away if he doesn't get his way. Add to that not being willing to bond out a dime over the $40 million freebie handed to us by the State to build something that's actually worthwhile (makes you feel all warm and cozy that the police and courts, essentially the negative side of government, get a facility that's 2x-3x the cost of city hall itself, doesn't it?) His inept, weak kneed handling of the homeless population's camps along trails and in city parks is also a significant sore spot for me.
For this City's sake Schor can't fade into political obscurity soon enough imo. The problem is that there's no council member I want to see run and nobody else I'm aware of on the periphery except maybe Bob Tresize. Perhaps a state rep/senator?
There's more development momentum and reasons to be positive about this city and region than at any point in my life. We need public officials who recognize that and capitalize on it.
Comments
Peak lunacy.
One thing mentioned is that the road will have a concrete median, but I'm not sure the scale of it or why it's really needed. The road doesn't seem busy enough for that, or maybe it's just to block left turns at certain intersections? Can someone find any info on this?
https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/238/Construction-Projects
https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/DocumentCenter/View/14617/Construction-Notice-Coolidge-Road-Project-and-Map-PDF
Major Coolidge Road Improvements Project (Project to begin April 15, 2024) – This project will include a mill and resurfacing of Coolidge Road from Saginaw Highway to Lake Lansing Road and a lane reconfiguration from four lanes to three lanes plus two bike lanes. Lane closures will be in place for the duration of the project, and access to local businesses and residents will be maintained as much as possible. For additional information, view the construction notice (PDF) and the map link.
Edit: I see the City Pulse is saying the city sent out postcards on the two options for the MLK reconfiguration to who I assume are Westside residents. I'm not against this kind of engagement in theory, but it's weird this is the first time they do it, and more than that, it undercuts the opinions of the actual traffic engineers employed by the city. If you do it for this project, why not every single project?
I think this is an opportunity for the city to publicly state how they make these decisions, what the usual process is. I'm pretty pissed at the neighbors for misrepresenting this project the second it was announced. But I'm more annoyed that the city had been planning this since at least last year and then doesn't formally spring the large project to the public until they are about to put out bids. If they'd have gotten out in front of this from the beginning, they may have been able to quell some of the early opposition.
So, now, the big-ass boulevard gets left in place, and the important CSO work under the streets gets delayed indefinitely...just because.
Long term I'd love to see Saginaw and Grand River/Oakland get reconfigured but if people are freaking out about this small slice of outdated superhighway I can't imagine what would happen if they proposed a conversion or road diet on these thoroughfares, assuming MDOT was in agreement.
This MLK fiasco isn't even close to my least favorite thing he's done. Moving the courts and police out of downtown into a low slung two-floor suburban-style complex complete with a big parking lot in front while costing the tax payers over $100 million in the process takes the cake imo. His actions over the city hall move have been every bit as bad: publicly scoffing at Council's very reasonable request that a new rfp be issued for what was a fundamentally different project from the previous rfp, even alluding to throwing the money away if he doesn't get his way. Add to that not being willing to bond out a dime over the $40 million freebie handed to us by the State to build something that's actually worthwhile (makes you feel all warm and cozy that the police and courts, essentially the negative side of government, get a facility that's 2x-3x the cost of city hall itself, doesn't it?) His inept, weak kneed handling of the homeless population's camps along trails and in city parks is also a significant sore spot for me.
For this City's sake Schor can't fade into political obscurity soon enough imo. The problem is that there's no council member I want to see run and nobody else I'm aware of on the periphery except maybe Bob Tresize. Perhaps a state rep/senator?
There's more development momentum and reasons to be positive about this city and region than at any point in my life. We need public officials who recognize that and capitalize on it.