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Commission approves buffered bike lane, parking changes on Carver Street after debate
Summary
The Traverse City City Commission approved adding a buffered bike lane to Carver Street as part of the 2025 pavement preservation project and permanently adopted three traffic control orders that change parking on nearby streets after public support and some commissioner concerns about project scope and timing.
Traverse City’s City Commission voted June 2 to add a buffered bike lane on Carver Street from Rose to Woodmere as part of the 2025 pavement preservation (cape seal) project and to adopt three traffic control orders changing parking on Carver, Fern and Rose streets.
The action was approved 6-1. Commissioner Werner cast the only no vote. The motion authorized an amendment to the unit-prices contract with Pavement Maintenance Systems LLC for an amount not to exceed $573,685.15, including a 10% contingency, and permanently adopted Traffic Control Order (TCO) 742 (no parking both sides of Carver between S. Garfield and Woodmere), TCO 743 (parallel parking only on the west side of Fern between Carver and Center) and TCO 744 (no parking on Rose between Center and Carver), with the City Manager and City Attorney to approve final contract form and substance.
Why it mattered: Commissioners and residents framed the vote as an opportunity to make multimodal street improvements while the road is being resurfaced. Supporters said the buffered lane creates a safer east–west bicycle connection across a neighborhood that lacks many low-stress bicycle routes. Some commissioners and residents urged delaying final action until a Complete Streets policy and advisory board review could provide guidance and requested additional intersection treatments and traffic-calming features.
Details: Public commenters included an engineering professional and representatives of the Grand Traverse Safe Streets Alliance, who called the buffered lane a national best practice for roads with the traffic volumes and speeds on Carver Street. One resident, Brad Miller (email referenced during the meeting), and Commissioner Warner raised concerns about segments where the buffered lane does not extend all the way to Woodmere or Garfield and about potential neighborhood impacts. City Engineer Anne Pagano clarified that TCO 744 allows parking on much of the east side of Rose except in front of Traverse Heights Elementary and pointed to a map included with the TCO.
Outcome and next steps: The commission approved the contract amendment and the three traffic control orders. Several commissioners urged staff to seek input from the still-forming Complete Streets advisory board and to consider additional measures (for example, intersection improvements and speed mitigation) as the city monitors the project's impact.
