Streets for All: Kalamazoo Ave (2026-2027)
Announcement
Please see the update below regarding the schedule for this project.
- Project scheduleSpring 2026 - 2027
Kalamazoo Avenue is one of several downtown streets that will be entirely rebuilt in the coming years as part of the City’s Streets For All program. The project will convert Kalamazoo Ave from a one-way, high-speed corridor into a two-way street that is safer, more comfortable, and more accessible for people walking, biking, driving, and doing business along the corridor.
This is more than a resurfacing project. It is a full street reconstruction that replaces aging underground utilities, modernizes traffic signals and electrical systems, and rebuilds the street from the ground up. The project will improve safety, reliability, and the overall look and feel of Kalamazoo Avenue while supporting long-term downtown investment.
Streets For All also includes improvements to Michikal St, Michigan Ave, Lovell St, South St, and other downtown streets as part of a coordinated effort to create a safer, more connected, and people-centered street network in Kalamazoo.
Project Details
The Kalamazoo Avenue project includes both visible, above-ground upgrades and major utility improvements below the surface.
Above Ground Improvements:
- A new roadway surface
- Conversion to two-way traffic
- New street lighting, including overhead roadway lights for vehicles and pedestrian-scale post-top lights along sidewalks
- Modern traffic signals mounted on mast arms (instead of hanging from overhead wires)
- Removal of overhead electric and communication lines
- Removal and consolidation of utility poles where possible
- New sidewalks
- New street trees and landscaping
These changes will create a safer, more welcoming street environment while improving visibility and accessibility.
There will also be major improvements to underground infrastructure that you won't see, but will modernize utilities and prepare Kalamazoo for the future.
Underground Utility Improvements:
- Replacement of the existing water main and water service lines
- Replacement and upgrades to most of the storm sewer system
- Installation of new communication infrastructure for traffic signal interconnection
- Moving the electric system underground, replacing current overhead lines
Together, these upgrades modernize critical infrastructure that is near or beyond the end of its life, and take care of them all during the same project.
Project Schedule & Phasing
The Kalamazoo Avenue project was originally expected to begin in 2025, additional time was needed to secure grant agreements, which shifted the start of construction to spring 2026.
Work will begin at the eastern boundary of the project and move west. To minimize disruption, construction will happen in shorter segments, with each section reopening before work begins on the next one. One lane of traffic will remain open on Kalamazoo Ave for most of the project (except for times when a temporary full closure is needed for utility work across the street). Intersections will remain open as much as possible, although shorter duration closures will be needed for work through the intersection areas.
Work will progress as far westward as is possible during the construction season. Any remaining work will be completed in 2027.
More detailed phasing maps and timelines will be shared closer to the start of construction.
The Process
The plans were developed over an 18-month design process that started in July 2022. Staff held public meetings, met with neighborhood associations, and went to events like National Night Out, Art Hop, and Lunchtime Live! to get feedback for the design. Our team also met with downtown businesses, conducted surveys, and reached out to residents by mail. The process guided the design team and established clear themes:
- Inclusion of on-street parking in Downtown is a priority.
- Clear, wide as possible sidewalks are desired. Consistent street trees are important.
- Some of the priority intersections for north-south travel in Downtown are Kalamazoo & Westnedge and Kalamazoo & Porter/Pitcher
- Some of the priority intersections for north-south travel in the Stuart Neighborhood are Douglas & Kalamazoo and Stuart-Woodward-Elm & Kalamazoo
Early design concepts explored a five-lane roadway with two travel lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. However, public feedback emphasized the importance of on-street parking and a more balanced street design.
Kalamazoo Ave Design
The design for Kalamazoo Ave downtown includes a parking lane, two westbound travel lanes, a center turn lane, and one eastbound travel lane. This is referred to as an unbalanced section. The design for Michigan Avenue has a complementary unbalanced section with two eastbound lanes.)
Kalamazoo Ave traffic will veer onto Michikal St before the Stuart neighborhood. To enter the neighborhood, traffic will have to make a right turn. In the Stuart Neighborhood, the street will transition to a more residential-scale design with one lane in each direction and on-street parking.
You can view the plans below as a PDF or as images in your browser.
View the Plans(PDF, 20MB)
Two-Way Traffic Network
Work on W Main St and Douglas will also take place in 2026-2027 to make a two-way network possible.
- W Main St will become two-way between Michikal and Douglas
- A stop sign will be added at Kalamazoo Ave & Douglas Ave
- A traffic signal will be added at W Main St & Douglas Ave to improve access to the Douglas and Northside neighborhoods
Once the W Main, Douglas, and Kalamazoo Ave projects are completed, these streets will be converted to two-way traffic.