- Video shows intersection of Putnam St. and Grand River Ave. where a proposed road diet would reduce the amount of lanes from four, to three.
- Residents have differing opinions on the outlook of this proposal.
- City Manager John Hanifan says the origin of this proposal is to improve safety.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Grand River Ave. might be put on a diet. A road diet, that is. From west of Zimmer Rd. to east of Block St., and on north and south Putnam from the river to Middle St., the proposal is to narrow the four-lane road into three lanes, making the center lane a turn lane, and adding bike lanes.
It’s a proposal that’s been discussed for months in City Council Meetings. City Manager John Hanifan says the idea is about making the road safer, especially in the busy Putnam/Grand River intersection.
Hanifan said in a council meeting in January, “It’s safety at that intersection, and the origin of it was having proper turn lanes to improve the safety conditions there.”
Williamston resident Wendy Carr agrees, and sees many other benefits to the proposal.
“It’s gonna allow people a designated space to turn left, which will be great, then people won’t be inching around on the right and causing confusion," Carr told me.
Carr also believes it will turn Williamston into a more pedestrian-friendly area.
“It’s gonna slow traffic down a little bit on Grand River, and make it more pedestrian-friendly down here. To have people driving slower because they’ll have one lane on each side instead of two.”
Marlene Ann Harvey, another Williamston resident, doesn’t see the need for this proposal and says it’ll do more harm than good.
"So parking is difficult when I want to go downtown to a business, I have to circle a few times before I can find a place or just decide I have to walk a couple of blocks," Harvey said.
Harvey added that she thinks slowing traffic isn’t the solution to the problem.
“Before work, on the way to work, in school, after school, and at 5 p.m., it gets really busy. It’s really important to have two lanes of traffic both ways. You’re not going to calm traffic, you're going to slow traffic to the point where it's ridiculous.”
A community open house is scheduled for March 13th, and the Michigan Department of Transportation will be in attendance to answer questions. Reporting in Williamston, I’m John Hart.
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