CONSTRUCTION ZONE: Grandview Parkway project starts tonight

Peter Kobs, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·4 min read

Mar. 10—TRAVERSE CITY — The long-awaited Grandview Parkway rebuild kicks off tonight.

Construction crews will begin erecting steel traffic barriers at about 6 p.m. near the intersection of S. Garfield Avenue and East Front Street/U.S. 31.

"We encourage people to please be patient and drive carefully," said Nick Broad, project manager for Team Elmer's. "As the week progresses, we'll be tweaking traffic control, as needed, to optimize the flow."

At 7 p.m., workers will start milling away the asphalt surface and begin removing sidewalks.

Earlier this week, contractors for the Michigan Department of Transportation did final prep work for the project by pre-positioning heavy equipment, orange barrels and special signage. Survey teams were out making final measurements near the new Senior Center construction project.

In addition to the roadwork, MDOT contractors will be replacing curbs and gutters, upgrading sidewalks and ramps, improving storm sewers, and repairing the Murchie Bridge over the Boardman River. Traverse City will spend another $3.5 million to replace underground water and sewer lines during the project.

Broad said between 15 and 20 people will work on the roadway project at night under lights. Another 30 or 40 will work during the day.

The massive nine-month, $24.7 million project consists of two main segments, with construction starting today and continuing through November, with a pause during the National Cherry Festival, June 29 to July 6.

Segment 1 will rebuild the roadway between Garfield Avenue and the beginning of Grandview Parkway near the Delamar Hotel.

Segment 2 will rebuild the actual Parkway along the waterfront west to Division Avenue near the Elks Lodge.

The county road commission, which isn't directly involved in the parkway rebuild, is working along alternative east-west routes to help improve traffic flow.

"For example, we're syncing traffic signals along South Airport Road to improve traffic flow," said Dan Watkins, road commission director.

County crews will be working at the Garfield/South Airport Road intersection this Monday and Tuesday.

They also will be upgrading the flashing beacons at Potter Road and Three Mile Road in East Bay Townships on Tuesday. Some lane closures and shoulder closures will be required at those times.

The road commission will continue to perform winter maintenance, Watkins said, such as pothole patching, tree trimming, sign repair and ditch-work to enhance travel safety.

This week, local businesses are flooding the internet with e-mails, texts messages and website notices for their customers, warning them of travel slowdowns and delays.

"Traffic along Grandview Parkway will be impacted dramatically," Munson Healthcare told patients. "Please allow extra travel time in advance of your upcoming appointment(s)."

Traverse City Central High School alerted ticket holders to the upcoming production of "Anything Goes" that the auditorium parking lot is closed. It urged theater lovers to "allow extra time" and "follow the signs" to alternative parking and drop-off locations.

"No matter what, the show must go on!" said producer Tamara Williams in true thespian fashion.

The Tony Award-winning musical featuring 40 students will be performed today at 2 p.m. and also March 15 through 17.

Detours around the construction zone depend on where drivers are headed — east or west — and during which phase of the construction.

Here's a look at the detours for this period:

Phase 1 Detours (March to May) — One lane of eastbound traffic will be allowed from the Grandview Parkway / East Front Street intersection to the Peninsula Drive intersection just before Rose Street. Eastbound traffic will then be detoured up Peninsula Drive to Eastern Drive and then south on Milliken Drive where the detour re-connects to U.S. 31.

Westbound traffic will turn left from Munson Avenue onto Eighth Street, then use Railroad Avenue to reach Grandview Parkway.

Note: East Front Street from Garfield Avenue to Peninsula Drive should reopen in May. The detour route for westbound traffic won't change until July, when work on East Front Street is planned to wrap in time for the National Cherry Festival.

To help the public prepare for disruptions during the Grandview Parkway project, MDOT has created a website with detours, schedules, maps, alternative route information and detailed descriptions of each phase of the project.

Learn more at https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/us-route-construction/us31-m72-rebuilding-project-traverse-city.