UPDATE: Market Avenue Downtown Grand Rapids FINALLY Reopens
UPDATE 12/1/2022: Coming into work downtown Grand Rapids this morning I thought my eyes were deceiving me as cars were driving through the intersection of Market and Fulton...
But it's true!
Wood TV 8 reports that as of December 1, 2022, Market Ave. downtown Grand Rapids is back open after being closed for several months for construction.
This comes after Fulton Street was reopened last week.
Initially the $20 million project to install water mains, replace a major sewer line, and repave was projected to be finished in August.
Original Story10/25/2022: One positive with the weather getting colder is that is usually means the end of West Michigan "construction season"...
Well, a major project downtown Grand Rapids has been delayed yet again.
If you've been downtown recently, you've likely noticed it's been a bit hard to navigate.
The intersection of Fulton St. and Market Ave. has been closed since March. The $20 million project aims to install water mains and replace a major sewer line, making way for additional projects downtown, such as the proposed outdoor amphitheater.
Initially it was estimated the work on the downtown intersection would be complete in August... then the date was pushed back to early November.
Now Wood TV 8 reports its going to be even longer. City of Grand Rapids officials announced recently the project may now not be completed until late November or early December.
The hold up? The additional of water main pipes.
Tim Burkman, City Engineer tells Wood TV 8,
We’ve added approximately $600 thousand of additional water main work to the contract, a little more than half of that is related to the private properties on the West Side of Market… as well as fire protection to serve that property. The rest of that came at the request (of) the city’s water department, so they are lining that water main segment,
So at this point Fulton Street remains closed from the Grand River to Ottawa Avenue. Market Avenue (Monroe Ave. North of Fulton) is closed to through traffic from Campau to Oakes Street.
As someone who works downtown, I'll be glad to see the project complete! It can be a headache for anyone going to concerts, hockey games, and restaurant downtown Grand Rapids too.
Stay up to date with closure info here.