GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A busy Grand Rapids intersection has been causing headaches for the community as it's been closed for weeks due to construction. However, the headaches should start to subside now that both directions of Michigan Street at the Fuller Avenue intersection have reopened.
The intersection was closed for more than two weeks while crews worked on emergency sanitary sewer repairs. Grand Rapids City Engineer Tim Burkman told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that the city would be replacing around 200 feet of a sanitary sewer main that had multiple breaks in it.
Afendoulis Cleaners and Tuxedos is near the intersection. Co-owner Becky Afendoulis Trierweiler told 13 ON YOUR SIDE her business parking lot was busy during the construction.
"So we did have a lot of traffic, which made for a concerning issue for our customers that were backing out of a lot that normally doesn't get any traffic. There were a few near-miss accidents," said Trierweiler.
Police even ticketed dozens of drivers who cut through parking lots to get around the construction. Trierweiler's store was vandalized along with a few other businesses just last week. She believes the vandals will stop, now that the construction is almost complete.
"No one is going to come here and bang up windows with thousands of cars driving by and we're already seeing you know so many cars," said Trierweiler.
The closure for the sewer main repairs came after the intersection had just reopened after being closed for weeks for a different construction project. Trierweiler said the roads re-opening will help many nearby businesses.
"The businesses even closer to the intersection I think have suffered even more than we have because at least we're a little bit off the intersection but those businesses right on the corner are probably thrilled," said Trierweiler.
Work on Fuller is expected to continue through the weekend and the roadway is expected to re-open by Tuesday. Trierweiler said she's hopeful the remainder of the construction will be done quickly.
"I'm really hoping that they're also going to do their best to move quickly and that they're going to create good detours for people so that there is a good understanding of what they can and can't do. It was a little confusing this time," said Trierweiler.
Even though Michigan Street has reopened, Fuller is still closed north of Michigan Street to I-196. The trench where the sewer repair work was done is scheduled to be paved on Friday. Steve Guitar with the city said the pavement in the area that remains closed between Michigan and 196 is in poor condition and due soon for paving per the city's asset management plan.
"We’ve coordinated for the milling and paving of the remainder of this stretch of Fuller to be done on Monday, with pavement markings on Tuesday of next week. Weather dependent, the north leg of Fuller is then scheduled to reopen on Tuesday," said Guitar.