Construction Projects

In Portage, detour signs point to progress! Safe, quality roads make a critical contribution to a city's economic development and growth and bring about important social benefits. 

First-rate roads are important to business owners.  When a business is interested in expanding or locating in Portage, having good infrastructure is a great selling point.  Keeping roads in a superior condition also stimulates the local economy by providing work for local contractors.

A well-maintained, upgraded road network provides residents with access to jobs, schools, stores, and recreation, as well as social and health services.  Furthermore, better roads lead to savings in the way of travel time, gas consumption, and traffic accidents.

We realize that motorists and residents may be disrupted and inconvenienced during construction projects by detours, local road closures, dust, noise, heavy equipment traffic, and increased traffic on surrounding roads. However, when projects are complete, the benefits include reducing costly vehicle repairs caused by inferior roads, the number or severity of accidents, and congestion during peak travel times. 

Current City of Portage road construction projects under design and/or construction are shown below.  To receive real-time updates about these projects, go to NotifyMe and subscribe to the Road Construction Updates category.

Use the tabs to view current major and local street construction projects and view construction project news releases.

Local Street Reconstruction - 2022 reconstruction has been postponed until 2023

  1. Major Street Reconstruction
  2. Construction Project News Releases

South Westnedge Avenue Microsurfacing, from Mall Drive to Trade Centre Way.  Microsurfacing of the existing roadway is planned, as well as replacing approximately 2,450 feet of 4-foot-wide sidewalk with 5-foot-wide sidewalk and landscaping improvements.  Microsurfacing is a tough layer of asphalt emulsion blended with finely crushed stone for traction.  This is a cost effective method to renew the road surface and seal minor cracks and other irregularities while prolonging the life of the pavement.

Contractor:  Pavement Management Systems
Engineer:  Flies & Vandenbrink
Total Cost:  $542,390

Sidewalk Replacement - May/June, 2022
Microsurfacing - July, 2022

 

Lovers Lane, from East Milham Avenue to East Kilgore Road.  This major street project involves replacing 750' of City of Kalamazoo water main south of East Kilgore Road, sanitary sewer extension north of I-94, barrier-free access at all sidewalk crossings including tactile warning surfaces, pavement milling, and asphalt resurfacing.  A single lane in both directions is expected to be open during the project.

Contractor:  Lakeland Asphalt
Engineer:  Williams & Works
Total Cost:  $1,336,535

Projected Start Date:  June, 2022
Expected Completion Date:  August, 2022

 

Romence Road Reconstruction, from Angling Road to Oakland Drive.  Storm drainage improvements, installation of concrete curb radii at intersections, barrier-free access at all sidewalk crossings including tactile warning surfaces, pavement milling , and asphalt resurfacing are all part of this project.  A single lane in both directions is expected to be open for the majority of the project except during milling and paving operations. During milling and paving, the eastbound direction will continue to be maintained, but the westbound direction will be detoured.

Contractor: Reith-Riley Construction
Engineer:  Wightman & Associates
Total Cost:  $1,074,724

Projected Start Date:  June, 2022
Expected Completion Date:  August, 2022

 

Angling Road Storm Sewer Improvements, from Squire Heath Lane to Romence Road.  This infrastructure project includes the installation of additional underground storm sewer storage to alleviate storm water flooding on Angling Road from Squire Heath Lane to Romence Road.  Angling Road will be closed to through traffic during the construction.  The designated detour route is West Centre Avenue, Oakland Drive, and West Milham Avenue.

Contractor:  Lounsbury Excavating
Engineer:  Abonmarch Consultants
Total Cost:  $789,861

Projected Start Date:  June, 2022
Expected Completion Date:  August, 2022

 

Portage Road/Willoughby Drive Water Main Installation, from East Milham Avenue to the north.  The scope of work for this project includes 750 feet of new water main along the east side of Portage Road north of East Milham Avenue, 500 feet of new water main on Willoughby Drive north of East Milham Avenue, and asphalt resurfacing.  New sidewalk will be installed on the north side of East Milham Avenue from Portage Road to Willoughby Drive.

Contractor:  Balkema Excavating
Engineer:  AR Engineering
Total Cost:  $487,474

Projected Start Date:  May, 2022
Expected Completion Date:  September, 2022

 

Romence Road Sanitary Sewer, from US-131 to Angling Road.  Sanitary sewer and water main will be installed, along with asphalt resurfacing.

Contractor:  Balkema Excavating
Engineer:  AR Engineering
Total Cost:  $476,043

Projected Start Date:  May, 2022
Expected Completion Date:  September, 2022



Other Agency Projects

I-94 Construction in the City of Portage

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is starting year two of a multi-year project for the widening of I-94 from four to six lanes from Lovers Lane to Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo.  The project will include removal of Kilgore Road bridge, and a new single-point urban interchange design at Portage Road, similar to the I-94/South Westnedge Avenue interchange.  In 2022, two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction on eastbound I-94 while the westbound lanes are rebuilt.  The detour route for the westbound I-94 ramp to Portage Road is the I-94 Business Loop, exit 81, Sprinkle Road, and Cork Street.  The expected 2022 construction period is April through December.


A video explaining the project is available on MDOT's YouTube channel.

Sign up for MDOT text or email updates at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDOT/subscriber/new. Subscribe to the "Kalamazoo County" category.

Source:  https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9620_11057-556490--rss,00.html



Construction on West Kilgore Road

The City of Kalamazoo will perform construction on West Kilgore Road from Oakland Drive to South Westnedge Avenue. The project on this busy border street includes concrete curb repair, barrier-free access at all sidewalk crossings including tactile warning surfaces, pavement milling and asphalt resurfacing.  The designated detour route is South Westnedge Avenue, Whites Road, Oakland Drive.  The expected construction period is May through August 2022.