Design Contract Approved for “Spaghetti Bowl” and Surrounding Streets
Published on March 04, 2026
The Kalamazoo City Commission has approved a $3 million contract with Wightman to begin designing improvements to West Michigan Avenue west of Michikal Street, the “Spaghetti Bowl” area, and South and Lovell streets. The work is funded through a federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Planning Grant.
The project is a key step toward transforming the western gateway to downtown Kalamazoo. Plans include converting South and Lovell streets from one-way to two-way traffic and redesigning the surrounding street network, including the complex intersections commonly known as the “Spaghetti Bowl,” where several major streets converge.
These improvements aim to make the area safer and easier to navigate for everyone, whether walking, biking, driving, or using transit, while strengthening connections while strengthening connections between downtown, nearby neighborhoods, and local campuses and supporting economic activity.
The “Spaghetti Bowl” has long been identified as a barrier separating downtown from surrounding neighborhoods and institutions. Addressing these challenges is part of a broader effort to improve how people move through the city and better connect downtown with nearby destinations, including Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. The project also aligns with long-term planning efforts at both institutions to strengthen connections between their campuses and downtown.
Design work will include both preliminary and final plans and is expected to continue through next year, with community engagement planned throughout the process. Construction timing has not yet been finalized, but work could begin in 2028 or 2029 following the conversion of Kalamazoo Avenue to two-way traffic, expected to begin this year and be completed in 2027.
The project also builds on earlier planning efforts. In 2024, the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture partnered with the City on a design study of the West Michigan Avenue corridor and the “Spaghetti Bowl” intersection. The study explored ways to simplify the street network, improve safety, and create a more welcoming gateway to downtown while aligning with broader planning efforts, including the campus master plans of Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. While the report provides long-term guidance, the design process now underway will develop specific plans with continued input from residents and stakeholders.
View the Kalamazoo West Gateway Report