MUSKEGON, Mich. — A busy street in Muskegon is going on a "road diet," shrinking from four lanes to two.
A road diet is a study meant to test if the size of a roadway is appropriate, or if it should be changed to reflect the needs of the city.
The road diet test is going to happen on Shoreline Drive. It will shrink the road from two lanes in each direction down to one. The diet will happen on the mile-long stretch between 7th and Terrace Streets in front of Muskegon Lake.
Last week, the public works director said the road was initially built wider than necessary, so the test will show if it's feasible to shrink it.
Opponents of the diet are concerned it will increase congestion in the area.
Monday night, city officials answered questions about the plan from the public at an open house. Muskegon resident Andrea Vargas, who approves of the plan, told 13 ON YOUR SIDE about her experience driving on the road.
"I'm doing the speed limit and they're blowing by me like they're in the Indy 500," she said.
While the road diet is happening, the extra lanes will be used for parking spaces, bike lanes and bus stops.
The test is scheduled to begin in August. An official date has not been announced yet.
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