Plymouth Boulevard Improvements Include Adding Roundabouts
The Plymouth City Council approved on Tuesday night the order of significant improvements to Plymouth Boulevard, its main city-center thoroughfare.
Plymouth Boulevard will undergo pavement repairs between Rockford Road and Highway 55, a stretch of road where engineers say cracking and potholes have been an issue.
“This will be done by a full-depth reclamation, which is grinding up the existing pavement surface,” said Michael Payne, city engineer and deputy public works director. “It’s mixed with the underlying roadway aggregate material. The excess material is then removed from the top and new pavement layers are then paved on the roadway.”
The project also includes adding roundabouts at four intersections including one by city hall. The others are at 34th, 36th and 37th avenues.
The 35th Avenue intersection by the Hilde Performance Center entrance will be reconfigured as well by removing an unnecessary left-turn lane and making it right-in, right-out only for drivers to allow for safer pedestrian crossings.
In addition, a sidewalk will be replaced with a wider 12-foot trail on the east side of Plymouth Boulevard from 34th to 37th avenues. Streetscape enhancements and new street lighting are also planned.
“These improvements not only address the roadway condition, but also bring in elements of the city center vision,” said Payne at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Plymouth budgeted $13.6 million for the project which will be paid for through a variety of city funds. About 5 percent of the total project cost will come from special assessments to properties along the route. The city also requested state legislative bonding to help cover $6.6 million of the cost. That request still awaits legislative approval.
Construction will be phased so drivers can access businesses and city facilities.
The project will be begin later this spring and be mostly completed by fall.
