KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – After vocal opposition to reducing traffic to one lane on the west end of Winchell Avenue, the City of Kalamazoo plans to go forward with a one year pilot project anyway.
Residents got a demonstration at a special meeting Tuesday.
The city calls it an “Edge Lane Road”. It will create a lane for parking, two for bikes, and a center lane for traffic.
Former City Manager Ken Collard told commissioners last month that it’s a dangerous mistake, because cars constitute 91% of the traffic on that street, but will be restricted to just 40% of the roadway.
Retired City Public Works director Bruce Merchant spoke to the City Commission last month, disagreeing with city claims that the unusual road design has worked well in other cities.
A current view of Winchell Ave (courtesy City of Kalamazoo)
The City of Kalamazoo plans to install the new lane markings later this summer after Winchell Avenue, west of Rambling Road, is repaved. They then plan to reevaluate it, studying crash and other data next year.
It’s part of the city’s “Streets For All” campaign to slow traffic by reducing lane widths, eliminating lanes altogether, and adding bike lanes.
