Parallel parking spaces and bike lanes added to Michigan Street

• Tweet
• 

Michigan Street has a brand new look to it.

The city repaved portions of West Michigan Street and added bike lanes and 23 parallel parking spaces. The new pavement and bike lines run from the corner of Mission and Michigan Streets to the corner of Michigan and Fancher Streets.

The city plans to continue the lanes farther west on Michigan as more funds are available, said Duane Ellis, director of Public Works. The decision to work on the street was made because it had been 30 to 40 years since any major construction had been done on the street.

“It needed to be re-built badly,” Ellis said. “I’ve been here 26 years and they haven’t really done much to it until now.”

Unlike the construction at Bellows, there won’t be a mini-circle and the parking spaces run parallel with the road; the spaces on Michigan will not be metered.

Ellis said construction for the road went smoothly and the end product was what they were expecting.

He said the addition of the bike lanes is part of making Mount Pleasant a more walkable community.

“Currently the intersection of Main and Washington are also under discussion for road work,” Ellis said. “But that is just talk, nothing has been set in stone.”

Mount Pleasant resident Michelle Szymczak said even though she does not drive down the road too often, the changes seem positive.

She said she is mostly thankful construction is over with.

“It was painful to drive around while it was closed,” she said.

Customers to Nadine’s Beauty Shop, 701 E. Michigan St., will find it easier to make their way to the establishment.

Customers had to park several blocks away and walk to the shop, said Jackie Ayries, an employee at Nadine’s. While the parking spaces will be helpful the sidewalk is not what it should be.

“There should be grass between her street and sidewalk and now it’s just concrete,” the Shepherd resident said. “Plus the corner near us is strange, the way it is set up is funky.”

City parking regulations and fines will apply to the spaces.

Because lanes were narrowed for bike lanes drivers will have to become more cautious and alert while driving on the street, said Jeff Browne, Mount Pleasant Police Department public information officer. Drivers should be careful and aware of cyclists especially when making any turns on the street.

“Cyclists will also have to remember that when they are in those lanes they are also a vehicle,” Browne said. “Which means they will have to make sure they make full stops and signal where they are turning.”