Broomfield Road revamped to improve traffic safety

CMU students can take advantage of the improvements to Broomfield Road
as they return to campus for the fall semester.

The Broomfield Project consisted of adding turn lanes, tearing out
the sidewalk near the Student Activity Center, adding a new traffic
signal and expanding the width of the road.

“I’m sure we will see a reduction in accidents on Broomfield Road
between East Campus Drive and West Campus Drive,” said Steve Lawrence,
associate vice president of Facilities Management.

Landscaping also is being used to enhance the area and improvements
have been made for the sidewalks on both sides of the road.

The project began in mid-May and was completed and opened Aug. 11.

The Broomfield Road project will eliminate cross traffic at the
intersections of Broomfield Road and East Campus Drive.

The project involved angling East Campus Drive north of Broomfield
to the west to merge with Broomfield Road. A similar angling job was
completed Monday on East Campus Drive south of Broomfield. Workers have
constructed curbs on the new extension, and the flat, dirt ground is
open for CMU deliveries.

Broomfield’s improvements are expected to ease traffic flow and make
the area safer for students around the SAC. A pedestrian-activated
traffic signal was added at the main crossing on Broomfield Road by
Rose Arena.

“I feel we have made major safety improvements for pedestrians and
vehicular traffic with the money that was available,” said Isabella
County Road Commissioner Jim Miller.

Although the road construction on Broomfield is complete,
landscaping around East Campus Drive still is in progress.

The landscaping includes planting 6,847 plants and trees along
Broomfield. Some include paper bark maples, hedge maples, red twig
dogwoods, daffodils, accolade elms, red oaks, purple maiden grass and
white spruces.

“On all projects that are needed, the bottom line is securing the
revenues to complete the task,” Miller said. “That’s the biggest
challenge.”