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Neighbors press Grand Rapids to prioritize Adams intersection as city details Kalamazoo safety plan
Summary
City staff presented a roadside safety audit and a list of programmatic and capital improvements for Kalamazoo Street (Hall to Burton) funded by a $600,000 3rd Ward equity allocation plus $200,000 in FY27. Residents and organizers urged the commission to prioritize a traffic signal at Adams — citing past fatality and ongoing speeding — rather than spending the full allocation on a signal at Griggs.
Mobile GR staff presented the findings of a roadside safety audit for Kalamazoo Street and proposed a set of programmatic and capital safety investments funded in part by a $600,000 3rd Ward equity allocation and an additional $200,000 earmarked for FY27.
Mary Anna Jeske, assistant director for Mobile GR, summarized the audit and the corridor problems: 193 crashes between 2020–2024 (no fatalities during that specific period but two serious injuries and nine vulnerable‑user crashes), an 85th‑percentile speed 11–13 mph over posted limits in places, and intersection patterns that include drivers using parking lanes to pass left‑turning vehicles. Jeske described programmatic fixes (pavement‑marking refresh, high‑visibility crosswalks, seasonal in‑road pedestrian signs, side‑street stop bars) and quick‑build measures such as temporary curb bump‑outs.
For capital work, staff identified traffic signals as an effective treatment and estimated design/construction/inspection costs at about $800,000 per signal. Staff recommended using the 3rd Ward equity funds to design and advance a signal at Kalamazoo & Griggs and noted that Adams & Kalamazoo was also identified as a high priority for a signal but may be staged later because of available funds. Jeske said a rapid flashing beacon at the future Evergreen extension would cost about $150,000; signal work would be staged when funds are available.
Residents and neighborhood advocates pushed back on the proposed sequencing. Deb Van Dynen of Together West Michigan said the neighborhood’s highest safety concerns are at Adams and Hancock and urged the commission to "put the safety of our neighbors first," arguing that an Adams signal would better protect people walking and the school crossing there. Another resident, Yukenya, cited a 2019 death and said Adams should be prioritized. Multiple residents asked whether the $600,000 could be split to produce near‑term, lower‑cost measures (temporary curb extensions, 4‑way stop trials, enhanced crosswalks) while a second signal is funded.
Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives (4‑way stops and neighborhood traffic circles) and constraints (right‑of‑way limitations that preclude many roundabout designs, state law that ties speed‑limit setting to engineering speed studies based on the 85th percentile). Staff noted that some retrofits can be installed using in‑house crews or contractors (pavement markings, signs), and that signal design can be advanced with department funds so the project is shovel‑ready when capital is available.
Several commissioners asked staff to open a traffic‑calming file for East Castle Drive after public comments describing repeated crashes and mailboxes being knocked down on the curve; staff agreed to follow up. The commission asked staff to circulate the presentation materials and to continue coordination with neighborhood groups as design work advances.
