“One of the things we did as part of that project was interconnect all of the broken links in the sidewalk in that stretch, and that was done intentionally to help make it more convenient for pedestrians to use the sidewalk to reach one of those signalized crossings or the pedestrian overpass bridge. “In 2015, we had a pretty major project between Holiday Road and Three Mile Road to rebuild the pavement,” notes James Lake, a communications representative for MDOT’s northern Michigan region. But because it is a state trunkline, it’s under the control of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and that means that things like lighting, or pedestrian crossings, or speed limits, those aren’t under our purview.”įor its part, MDOT is aware of the challenges of the corridor – especially in the summer, when hotels fill up and pedestrian activity skyrockets. So there are a lot of opportunities there, and a lot of challenges too. “And then there are also some properties that are being redeveloped along that corridor, and with redevelopment will come added intensity – especially because some of those redeveloped properties are going to be hotels. “There’s definitely a lot of activity in that area,” Friend acknowledges. Finally, there are no traffic lights or stops between Three Mile and Four Mile, and only one pedestrian crossing: an over-the-road bridge that Friend says has its own issues – namely, that it’s old and not ADA accessible. Grand Traverse County Road Commission traffic count data shows that approximately 50,000 cars traversed the thoroughfare on Aug– a figure which obviously doesn’t take into account 22 years of growth for Traverse City as a population epicenter and travel destination.
The road also sees big traffic each day, given its status as one of the main gateways to the Traverse City area. The approximately 1.1 miles of road between those two intersections, Friend notes, is something of a perfect storm for traffic challenges, housing multiple restaurants, a campground, a beach, a mini golf course, a car wash, and more than a dozen hotels. But change is coming to that part of town sooner rather than later, with potential outcomes ranging from HAWK signals to a brand-new pedestrian bridge.Įast Bay Charter Township Supervisor Beth Friend says the US-31 corridor is a regular topic of conversation at township offices, particularly the key stretch between Three Mile and Four Mile roads. Compared to the very public Grandview Parkway discussions, those talks have so far been hushed and have mostly taken place behind closed doors. But what about the other side of town, where thousands of cars per day cruise through Acme and East Bay townships traveling 45 miles per hour, and where pedestrian crossings are few and far between?Īccording to officials at both state and local levels, talks are underway about how US-31 North might be revamped to create a safer roadway for all.
There’s been much buzz this year about the impending redesign of Grandview Parkway, and of the potential for a more pedestrian-friendly layout for one of Traverse City’s busiest thoroughfares. MDOT Considering HAWK Crossings, A Second Pedestrian Bridge For East Bay Township US-31 Corridor By Craig Manning
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