Streets for All: Kalamazoo Ave (2026-2027)
- Project scheduleJuly 2026 - 2027
Kalamazoo Ave will be entirely rebuilt starting in July 2026. The project will eventually convert Kalamazoo Ave from a one-way, high-speed corridor into a two-way street that is safer, more connected, and more accessible for people driving, walking, biking, and doing business downtown.
It’s not just above ground changes. We’ll be rebuilding the streets from the ground up. Construction will include replacing aging underground utilities — water, sewage, electric, telecommunications, etc. and modernizing the traffic signals. The project will improve safety, reliability, and the overall look and feel of Kalamazoo Ave for the next 100 years.
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.
Kalamazoo Ave, Westnedge Ave and Michikal St intersection:
Project Details
The Kalamazoo Ave project includes both visible, above-ground upgrades and major underground improvements
Above Ground Improvements:
- A new roadway surface
- New street lighting, including lights over the roadway for vehicles and light posts along sidewalks for pedestrians
- 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 trees and landscaping on street
- Conversion to two-way traffic, after related updates are completed on other Downtown roadways
These changes will create a safer street environment while improving connections to the rest of downtown and accessibility for businesses.
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 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 Ave project will begin in July 2026.
Work will begin at Park St. and Kalamazoo Ave. and move eastward one block at a time toward Pitcher Ave. By focusing on one block at a time, construction will minimize disruption, 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 eastward 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 for Kalamazoo Ave. redesign were developed over an 18-month process that started in July 2022. We’ve engaged feedback from the community throughout the process and heard that residents and businesses had several priorities:
- Inclusion of on-street parking in Downtown is a priority.
- Clear, wide as possible sidewalks are desired. Consistent street trees are important.
- Updates to the intersections of Kalamazoo & Westnedge and Kalamazoo & Pitcher intersections to make north-south travel easier
- Prioritize the intersections of Douglas & Kalamazoo and Stuart-Woodward-Elm & Kalamazoo to make north-south travel easier in the Stuart Neighborhood
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. 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. This redesign will better connect our neighborhoods to downtown.
You can view the plans below as a PDF or as images in your browser.
View the Plans(PDF, 20MB)