Oakland Drive/Winchell Traffic Calming Pilot
Announcement
Removal of the roundabouts will be completed before the start of the fall school year. The interim intersection designs will be completed soon after. A more detailed update is provided below.
- Project schedule2022-2025
August 18 Update
The timeline for changes at the Chevy Chase/Lorraine/Bruce and Chevy Chase/Waite intersections has been updated. City staff will remove the pilot roundabouts before the start of the fall school year and install the interim designs soon after. While the original goal was to complete the work before the 2025 school year, the new target is early fall 2025 (as soon as possible).
The designs match what was voted on by neighborhood residents earlier this year. These designs stay within existing curb lines, avoid impacts to trees, and will not include new sidewalks.
The interim design for Chevy Chase/Lorraine/Bruce features stop signs, painted bump-outs, bollards, and signage. Due to the size of the intersection and the need to align the intersection, the design for Chevy Chase/Lorraine/Bruce is more intensive. The Chevy Chase/Waite Intersection will be a 3-way stop with paint and stop signs. They have been reviewed and approved by Public Safety and Public Services staff to ensure compatibility with emergency response/access, snow removal, leaf collection, and waste/recycling services.
Permanent improvements are tentatively planned for 2028–2029 as part of the City’s Capital Improvement Program.
Chevy Chase/Lorraine/Bruce Final Interim Design
Chevy Chase/Waite Final Interim Design
About This Project
A pilot project in the Winchell Neighborhood is looking to reduce speeds, improve safety, and test the effectiveness of various traffic calming measures. Starting in 2022, curb bump-outs and mini traffic circles were installed at locations in the neighborhood to encourage slower driving and make the street more comfortable for the people who live, walk, drive, or bike in the neighborhood.
The mini traffic circles were installed on Chevy Chase Blvd at Waite and Lorraine. Curb bump-outs were installed at intersections on Winchell Ave. Our team has made adjustments throughout the project, and we're continuing to monitor their effect on traffic and safety in the areas.
Through this project, we're also looking to learn more about the effectiveness of these particular traffic calming treatments to help plan future projects. Traffic and speed data was collected before this pilot started, and our team is monitoring driver behaviors to see how effective the traffic calming measures are at reducing speed and improving safety.
The City of Kalamazoo was awarded a federal Safe Streets for All grant in 2023, which will fund further study and implementation of pilot traffic calming projects over the next two years. The $750,000 grant will result in a plan outlining where safety improvements are needed, and what specific treatments will work best in each unique circumstance. The results of this pilot project in Winchell will also contribute to that plan.
February 5 Meeting Video