GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- You will see road construction crews back outdoor upgrading the roads and sidewalks beginning March 1 in Grand Rapids.
The city has shut down Division Avenue between Fulton and Michigan streets so that sidewalks can be widened and the road narrowed. The reconstruction also will include some infrastructure work such as water main installation and improved street lighting. It will run until November.
The project is one of many that are getting underway in Grand Rapids.
The city has provided more details, including a list of street and sidewalk projects, in a news release:
The City will outline many of these projects at the upcoming Construction Season Kickoff event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 at Union High School, 1800 Tremont Blvd NW. This Commission Night Out event offers a chance to learn about upcoming projects, ask questions, and provide feedback.
Since 2014, Grand Rapids’ Vital Streets millage has funded the maintenance and reconstruction of 647 miles of streets, improving an average of 59 miles each year. In 2014, only 37% of streets were rated Good or Fair; by the end of 2024, this number rose to 61%, based on the Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) scale – a rating system for road pavement condition using visual inspection to evaluate pavement surface conditions.
The Vital Streets Oversight Commission helps guide the allocation of funds to achieve the city’s vision of safe, accessible, and multimodal streets. This is accomplished by following plans developed by the community, such as the Vital Streets Plan, Bicycle Action Plan, Area Specific Plans and others. Since 2014, the city has added 10.5 miles of new sidewalks and continues to repair and replace existing sidewalks. In 2024, 73-miles of sidewalk were repaired, 484 ADA-compliant ramps were added, 2.1 miles of new bike lanes were installed, and 1 mile of existing bike facilities was upgraded.
In line with its "Complete Streets" philosophy, the city also incorporates green infrastructure, adding street trees, rain gardens, and bioswales to improve stormwater management.
City Engineer Tim Burkman noted, “On average, we complete 59 miles of street improvements annually. We understand large projects can be disruptive to homeowners and businesses, impacting travel around the city. That’s why we are enhancing our communications efforts this year to keep community members informed of the projects, suggested detours, and how they may impact travel and commutes.”
Burkman said preconstruction meetings give the City the opportunity to highlight some of the large projects that will impact the community this construction season including the five projects listed here. The Targeted Construction period focuses on the time from start of construction to open-to-traffic. This is not the full project schedule but helps clarify the duration of the most disruptive portions of the project.
S. Division Avenue – North of Fulton to Crescent
Targeted Construction period – March 3 to November
- This project involves installing a new water main, replacing lead water services, reconstructing the street, curb and gutter, and narrowing the street to slow traffic and shorten pedestrian crossings. The finished street will include wider sidewalks, ornamental streetlights, new traffic signals, 79 new street trees, and raised bike lanes level with the sidewalk.
Leonard Steet – Powers to Alpine
Targeted Construction period – March 24 to October
- This reconstruction project will replace the street and lead water services, narrow the street, and widen sidewalks. Curb extensions will shorten pedestrian crossings, define parking, create space for rain gardens, and slow traffic. ADA-compliant ramps and brick pavers for stormwater management will be added. Streetlights will be upgraded with new fiberglass poles and LED lights, and 31 street trees will be planted. A rapid flashing beacon will be installed at Fremont Avenue. On Leonard, from Powers to Tamarack, the south parking lane will remain, with wider sidewalks on both sides of the street. From Tamarack to Alpine, the north parking lane stays, and the south side will be converted to wider sidewalks on both sides of the street. In-set parking will be added at 842 Leonard, and a loading zone at 900 Leonard.
Ann Street – Monroe to Plainfield
Targeted Construction period – June to September
- This reconstruction project will install new road surface, curb and gutter, sidewalks with curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossings, define parking lanes, and slow traffic. All sidewalks and ramps will meet ADA standards. Raised separated bike lanes will be added on both sides of the street. The north on-street parking lane will be removed, and a raised parking lane installed on the south side of Ann Street. The project also includes replacing driveway approaches and planting new street trees.
Boston Street – Fuller to Plymouth
Targeted Construction period – March 10 - August
- The Boston Street reconstruction project will install a new water main from Calvin to Plymouth and replace all lead water service lines. The street, curb, and gutter will be reconstructed, with curb extensions at intersections to shorten pedestrian crossings and define parking lanes. New roundabouts at Calvin, Rossman, and Rosewood will improve safety and slow traffic. The street will be widened between Fuller and Rosewood, with ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps. Parking will be removed on both sides between Rosewood and Plymouth, and on the north side between Fuller and Rosewood, while maintaining south-side parking. Bike lanes will be added, and driveway approaches and street trees will be replaced.
Plainfield Avenue – Fuller to I-96
Targeted Construction period – June to November
- The Plainfield reconstruction will include new pavement, curb and gutter, wider sidewalks and ADA compliant curb cuts, bike lanes extending to Denny’s and the BP Gas Station at I-96, driveway approach replacements, and new street trees. This is a short section of road for the City that is being coordinated with a larger Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project on Plainfield Avenue from I-96 to Airway Drive through the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Township and Plainfield Township. The Targeted Construction Period covers both the MDOT project and City project. MDOT will be scheduling a construction focused public open house this Spring.
Below is a partial list of other 2025 road construction projects with no start dates set to date. Street projects may be carried over to the next construction season. A partial list of street paving projects planned by the City’s Public Works Department also is included. Other locations may be added.
Other projects
- Wealthy Street and Front Avenue intersection (reconstruction)
- Valley Avenue – Fulton to Bridge (water main, reconstruction)
- O'Brien Road – Covell to Butterworth
- Michigan St – Maryland to Leffingwell
- Cherry St – Sheldon to LaGrave and Prospect to Madison
- Fulton – Plymouth to Worcester (sidewalk installation)
- Gillette Bridge - Deck Replacement
- Leffingwell – Leonard to Bradford and Bradford – Leffingwell to Leonard (water main, reconstruction)
- Oakley Place – Lyon to Crescent (water main, reconstruction)
- Oxford Street – Norwich to Godfrey (bridge removal, reconstruction)
Rotomill/resurfacing
- Ballard Street – Kalamazoo to Giddings
- Beulah Street – Lafayette to Madison
- Calvin Avenue – Hall to MLK Jr
- Dickinson Street – Kalamazoo to Gidding
- Francis Avenue – Burton to Crofton
- Griggs Street – Kalamazoo to Giddings
- Hollister Avenue – Wealthy to Fairmount
- Linden Avenue – Griggs to Dickinson
- Merrifield Street – Blaine to Nelson
- Marshall Avenue – Mulford to Alger
- Mulford Drive – Marshall to Aleda
- Aleda Drive – Mulford to Alger
- Orville Street – Kalamazoo to Giddings
- Union Avenue – Lyon to Michigan
- Union Avenue – Worden to Franklin
- Douglas Street – Lane to National and Gold to Lexington
- Emperor Street – Straight to Front
- Indiana Avenue – Butterworth to Sibley
- Laughlin Drive – Benning to Trail
- Parmelee Avenue – Parmelee to Leonard
- Valley Forge Street – Monticello to Covell
- Watson Street – Garfield to Gunnison
- Ardmore Street – Linden to Eastern
- Blaine Avenue – Alger to Edna
- Burning Tree Drive – Glen Echo to Iverness
- Chamberlain Avenue – S. Norwalk to Southhampton
- Dickinson Street – Feakin to Buchanan and Madison to College
- Edna Street – Blaine to Nelson
- Fair Street – Division to Jefferson
- Fox Street – West end to Buchanon
- Gilbert Street – Madison to Paris
- Kalamazoo Avenue – Alexander to MLK Jr
- Lafayette Avenue – Garden to Hall
- Martin Avenue – Griggs to Dickson
- Mayhew Wood Drive – Eastern to Blaine
- Paris Avenue – Griggs to Dickinson and Oakdale to Adams
- Portman Drive – West end to Breton
- Stafford Avenue – South end to Griggs
- Sutton Street – Buchanan to Division
- Vineland Avenue – South end to 28th Street
- Vineland Court – Vineland to south end
- Willard Avenue – Burton to Dickinson
- Avondale Avenue – Ardmore to Rosemont
- Bromley Drive – Chamberlain to north end
- Cherry Street – LaGrave to west leg Jefferson/Cherry roundabout and Lafayette to Prospect
- Colton Drive – Conlon to Woodlawn/Norfolk
- Covington Drive – Colton to Ardmore
- Crescent Street – Grand to Fuller
- Alfred Avenue – Innes to Crescent
- Grand Avenue – Hawthorne to Parkwood
- Heathcliffe Drive – Grove Bluff to Argus
- Iverness Road – Breton to Barfield
- Mission Hills Drive – Capilano to Meadowbrook
- Mission Hills Court – Mission Hills to east end Capilano to Meadowbrook
- Morningside Drive – Burton to Hampshire
- Peninsular Drive – West end to East Paris
- Poinsettia Avenue – 36th to Vanauken
- Radcliff Avenue – Burton to Hampshire
- Radcliff Avenue – Claystone to Burton
- Grenada Drive – West end to Radcliff
- Meadow Way Court – West end to Radcliff
- Radcliff Avenue – South end to Claystone
- Claystone Street – Radcliff to east end
- Campus Drive – Radcliff to east end
- Vassar Street – Norfolk to Ridgewood
- Woodlawn Court – West end to Woodlawn
Preventative Maintenance of Bridges:
- Pearl Street over the Grand River
- Hall Street over railroad east of US 131
- Burton Street over railroad east of US 131
Public Works Department resurfacing projects:
- Alto SE from Hoyt to Burton
- Manchester SE from south end to Okemo
- Baylis SW from Mckee to Clyde Park
- Benjamin NE from Carlton to Sweet
- Benjamin NE from Wealthy to Logan
- Benjamin NE from Lake Drive to Hope
- Benjamin NE from Wealthy to Lake Drive
- Birnam Woods NE from east end to Cadiff Ct.
- Borglum NE from Sligh to Aberdeen
- Breens SW from new to Ceasar E. Chavez
- Brookview NE from east end to Fuller
- Burns SW from Ruth to McKee
- Burr Oak NE from Lafayette to Monroe
- California NW from Marion to Garfield
- Cardiff NE from west end to Heathfield
- Caulfield SW from Hall to Martin Luther King
- Cheshire NE from Elenor to Plainfield
- Coldbrook NE from east end to Lafayette
- Dickenson SE from Blaine to Kalamazoo
- Dickenson SE from east end to Eastern
- Eleanor NE from Cheshire to Oakwood
- Elliott SE from Philadelphia to Giddings
- Fifth NW from Lincoln to Garfield
- Fremont NW from 4TH to 5TH
- Front NE from Eastern to Grand
- Graceland NE from Plainfield to Oakwood
- Griswold SE from Madison to Everest
- Harlan NE from Lydia to flat
- Heathfield NE from Cardiff to Chelsea
- Kreiser SE from east end to Plymouth
- Kreiser Tier SE from west end to Kreiser
- Lafayette NE from Knapp to Dale
- Littlefield NE from west end to Michigan
- Louis NW from Ionia to Ottawa
- Lydia NE from Union to College
- Marywood NE from Oakwood to Paris
- Morewood Ct. SE from north end to Morewood
- Morewood SE from Morewood Ct. to Springdale
- Nagold NW from Fremont to Alpine
- Nagold NW from west end to Fremont
- Northlawn NE from Fuller to Plainfield
- Oaklawn NE from Fuller to Diamond
- Parkway NE from east end to Eastern
- Pettibone NW from Fourth to Second
- Salerno NE from south end to Elmdale
- Sinclair NE from Kenwood to Knapp
- Tamarack NW from 12th to 11th
- Tecumseh SE from Okemos to Menominee
- Tenth NW from Alpine to Tamarack
- Thomas SE from Fuller to Eastern
- Twelfth NW from Muskegon to McReynolds
- Walker NW from north city limit to Parkhurst
- Withey SE from Everest to Horton
Sidewalk Repair
This summer, City inspectors will be in Fulton Heights and Midtown neighborhoods marking out the sidewalks needing replacement. Properties that have sidewalk repairs in sections that cross through driveways will get 48-hour notice posted to the property informing each of the upcoming work and expected duration the driveway will be unavailable. The duration of work in front of any home will average one week, which includes removal, forming of sidewalks, pouring of concrete and restoration of lawns.
Updates on the City’s Vital Streets projects, including access to a free Vital Streets newsletter, are available HERE or by calling 311 or 616.456.3000.
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