MDOT to discuss South Otsego project at April 4 meeting
GAYLORD — The Michigan Department of Transportation has scheduled a public meeting to discuss construction plans for the I-75 Business Loop in Gaylord.
The agency plans to rebuild the roadway, known locally as South Otsego Avenue, from the southbound I-75 off ramps at Exit 279 to Wisconsin Avenue/Grandview Boulevard, and build a roundabout at the McCoy Road intersection.
The meeting will occur from 4-6 p.m. on April 4 at the Headwaters Room at Jay’s Sporting Goods, located at 1151 S. Otsego Ave. in Gaylord.
MDOT plans to invest about $12 million to rebuild 2.2 miles of South Otsego.
"Work will include crushing the existing asphalt pavement, regrading it as the new road base, and paving the roadway with new asphalt. The project will include new curb and gutter along the section north of McCoy Road, curb and gutter at commercial driveways south of McCoy, and 10-foot-wide multi-use pathways on both sides of the roadway. The roadway will have five lanes, two lanes in each direction, with a center left-turn lane, as it does currently," said James Lake, MDOT spokesman.
"We will be constructing a roundabout at the intersection of McCoy Road to address traffic crashes at that location, as well as improve traffic flow. Angle crashes (one vehicle striking a vehicle turning in front of it) are the most common crash type at this location, a severe kind of crash which is usually eliminated with a roundabout. We also see a lot of red-light running, another safety concern addressed with a roundabout," added Lake.
MDOT funding comes from a combination of state transportation funds from fuel taxes and registration fees, as well as federal transportation funds, Lake said.
The City of Gaylord has been awarded a Transportation Alternatives Program grant of $800,000 to make streetscape improvements on the corridor, including street lighting, trees, benches, bike racks and trash receptacles that will be incorporated into the project, according to Lake.
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"We expect to put the project out for bids this fall, and build it during the 2024 construction season, starting in the spring and being completed in the fall," he said.
Originally, MDOT had plans to reduce the number of traffic lanes from five to three on South Otsego from Grandview Boulevard/Wisconsin Avenue to the I-75 interchange. Residents and business owners complained that the reduction in traffic lanes would lead to congestion and discourage potential customers from reaching businesses along the commercial thoroughfare.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: MDOT to discuss South Otsego project at April 4 meeting
