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M-11 Access Management Plan
Welcome to the M-11 Access Management Plan page! This site is
intended as an informational message board for everyone involved in the
project. Check back for updates that will include the results of our
public workshops. Thank you for your involvement and input!
Project Introduction
The City of Walker, Michigan Department of Transportation and Grand
Valley Metro Council are currently preparing an Access Management Plan
and related Ordinance Amendments for a portion of M-11/Wilson Avenue
from the Grand River to Remembrance Road.
What is Access Management?
The main goals of Access Management are to improve traffic movement
and safety along the corridor through control on the number, placement,
and design of driveways and land use management.
Project Team
City of Walker
MDOT Grand Region
Grand Valley Metro Council
Kent County Road Commission
Consultant Team:
Progressive Architects & Engineers
LSL Planning, Inc.
Project Schedule
 Click here to view the
project schedule in a new window.
What is the Purpose of the Public Workshops?
A presentation of access management principles, existing land use,
and initial access conditions along M-11/Wilson Avenue will be presented
and benefits of access management will be reviewed. Representatives of
the city, MDOT and Grand Valley Metro Council and their consultants will
be available to share information and gather input. Once a plan is
prepared, city officials will conduct study sessions and public hearings
as part of their adoption process.
Public Open House \ Workshop #1 Summary – Monday July 11, 2005
Public comments were received during the first open house in three
formats; through one-on-one discussions at the presentation boards,
through the questions and answer session, and through comment cards. The
following are a complete list of the notes collected, with no priority
or order:
Presentation Boards Notes
Long southbound queues occur at rush hour west of Butterworth –
surprises drivers.
Need middle turn lane at American Legion.
Signal should have been placed at Riverbend instead of Burton
(explained).
Left turns from Riverbend onto Wilson are very difficult.
Need a signal at Riverbend as soon as possible.
Foliage and intermittent car sales block views from eastbound
Riverbend looking north.
Crashes at Covenant Christian HS driveway should be addressed.
Restrict truck turns at Hall Street and Butterworth.
Wilson at Hall Street needs either left-turn lanes and/or right
turn lanes – scary.
Revise M-11 grades instead of intersection changes at Fennessy.
Speeds are THE real issue along Wilson.
Move bus stops off Wilson.
Lake Michigan/Wilson works better but still long delays.
Southbound left phase at Lake Michigan is too short.
Very hard to turn left from Warrington or other streets.
Some delivery trucks from commercial sites are using Cloverdale to
exit.
Q&A/Comment Presentation Notes
Balance rights; preservation still being followed? Permit
violations? Water/sewer lines. Alternate wetlands
Block Riverbend & access via O’Brien – Issues
Who pays for access changes/improvements? (A: Developers/owners
typically unless part of road project)
Timeline – when will improvements be made/required? (A: Depends on
type of improvement, many/most not until site comes in for
development/redevelopment approval)
Lower speed limits – Trucks
Roadway not designed for so much truck traffic
What is the percent (%) of traffic using M-11 through whole
corridor (river to Remembrance)? (A: do not know, not part of the
scope of this study/plan).
Are there plans for an alternate road to West? (A: No)
What is the status of O’Brien and Fennessey? (A: currently in
design process).
How to handle west side of O’Brien (curve) - minor improvements
for safety
Hall St. potholes make it tough to turn quickly, need turning
lanes.
AAA directions said to use M-11 to avoid US131 traffic – still
being used that way.
Where does eminent domain come in? (A: As sites redevelop).
Hall St. – south on Wilson; must go to Riverbend (need center left
turn lane and northbound and southbound accec / decel lanes)
M-11 asset – focus should be on getting people and students in and
out.
Need safe ped. & bike crossings, especially at locations like
O’Brien and schools on Riverbend
Need mass transit improvements (routes and facilities)
Can signal timing at Lake Michigan and Wilson be changed (A: MDOT
has revised timing plan proposed)
North of Leonard – many homes, activity (ped, bike), no turning
lanes, hard to access driveways
Lower speeds on Wilson from Lake Michigan Drive to 3 Mile - school
children to Cummings school
When do access recommendations come out? (A: August/Sept.).
Lake Michigan Drive & Wilson - north side tough for residential at
Warrington. Can double yellow be used? Left turn lane?
Lights north of Lake Michigan Drive - bad (signal timing) – closer
signals help.
Left turns out tough from res. Streets
Light at Richmond? Warrant study needed with – residential dev.
Additional lane south side of corridor or along entire section
p.m. traffic full M-45 – O’Brien
Left turn light short southbound M-11 to M-45. Future dual left?
No room to get in line, need to open hatched area, right lane
signage needed – turn and straight thru, could impact merge.
Close Warrington?
Close Cloverdale?
Left turn light/phases at Remembrance & at Leonard needed.
Consider left turn thru corridor and removing shoulder. Good at
I/S and commercial development
Note Cards
Wilson Ave. should be 3 lanes or 4 lanes from Remembrance to the
river, the 3rd lane should be left turn lane.
Maintenance on Wilson is a problem; where the asphalt meets the
gravel. It seems that there are few attempts to fill in the potholes
that develop. Consequently it’s difficult to exit and enter gravel
driveways. (Cal Kalsbeek, 1313 Wilson SW).
Wilson Ave. has been very dangerous for years, whether have a
center lane for turning or make it 4 lanes, lets get started, what’s
the big hold up?
Hall Street is in desperate need of either a left turn lane or
right turn lanes.
A light by Riverbend should be of utmost importance because of 3
schools and a church with 90 families and safety is needed by Covenant
drive with so many young drivers. It’s frightening when cars go over
speed limit. There should be a lower speed limit and enforced.
Public Open House \ Workshop #2 Summary -- September 21, 2005
(Held from 4:00pm - 6:45pm at Walker City Hall)
Like the first M-11 public open house in July, public comments were
received during the open house in three formats; through one-on-one
discussions at the presentation boards resulting in sticky notes,
through the questions and answer session following the Access Management
“training” presentations and preliminary recommendations summaries (2),
and through comment cards. The following are notes obtained
through that process (in no particular order or priority).
Presentation Boards Notes
-
Make Warrington
one-way westbound (at M-11)
-
Reiterated that left
turns from Riverbend onto Wilson are very difficult.
-
Need a signal at
Riverbend as soon as possible.
-
Wilson at Hall
Street needs either left-turn lanes and/or right turn lanes.
-
Passing should not
be allowed on Wilson between Leonard and Richmond.
-
Very hard to turn
left from Warrington or other streets.
Q&A/Comment Presentation Notes
-
When will Fennessy and O’Brien improvements be
done? In 2006
-
How far out were the traffic projections
developed? Projections are from preliminary data developed for
2030
-
We really need traffic light at Riverbend and
Wilson. Discussed warrants and noted that MDOT is currently
monitoring the intersection for meeting those warrants.
-
Is current 100-foot right-of-way enough for a
traffic signal at that location? Yes
-
What will be the timing and coordination of this
project with others? This is not really a “project” but a study,
and its recommendations will be addressed/completed over a long period
of time so coordination with construction projects will only be as
needed.
-
MDOT should level hill south of Fennessy instead
of spending money on proposed intersection reconstruction.
-
We should be looking at ways to reduce traffic on
Wilson. M-11/Wilson was originally designed/intended to be the
GR area’s “west beltine” with higher volumes and speeds – its
functioning as designed.
- What are the spacing recommendations based upon? Several
factors, but primarily the posted speed limit (set by State Police).
- Are the recommendations just based upon current conditions?
Recommendations are based upon the current M-11 cross section but do
take into account the potential for widening in the future if that
occurs – again, these A. M. improvements will be done over a period of
time.
- Is there going to be a traffic light at Richmond? MDOT
currently has that intersection under study for potential
improvements, including a signal.
- Does this plan contribute to sprawl? Access management
allows existing roadways to increase or maintain capacity, thereby
reducing (or delaying) the need to construct/improve other roadways.
- Several lots are being used as a place to privately sell used
vehicles – needs to be addressed.
- If Wilson is a major “beltline,” should MDOT look to widen it?
MDOT is in a preserve mode and access management is a key step to
take/pursue before widening can be fully considered.
- We need left-turn lane for entire corridor.
Note Cards
- Cut hill down south of Fennessy to give clear vision and you won’t
have to close off Fennessy.
- Reduce the speed limit (from 55 to 45) from Lake Michigan Drive
north to Leonard to allow residents to safely turn onto Wilson from
their subdivision. Enact a no downshifting policy for semis.
Check Back For Future Updates!
<information last updated November 15, 2005>
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Walker, MI 49534
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