WYOMING, Mich. – Seven months into construction, Wyoming Public Works officials said all lanes of traffic will be open on 44th Street between Division and Clay avenues.
Throughout the project, many commuters and businesses said they have been frustrated with the slow moving traffic since late April.
Russ Henckel, assistant director of Wyoming Public Works, said the construction included full reconstruction of 44th Street, including the water main, storm sewers, adding Michigan left-hand turns, and replacing the asphalt with concrete.
Meanwhile Joe’s Pizza employee Jeannette Webber said normally there's a line out the door during their lunch rush. Now, Webber said, she is lucky to serve three to four customers.
Throughout construction, entrances to the businesses along the construction have been re-worked, to some drivers’ confusion. For instance, the drive into the Family Dollar on 44th is accessible to just one direction of traffic.
Commuters like Jeff Frick, manager at Ace Hardware, said that if you are leaving work and trying to drive down 44th, “forget it.”
“It’s been a hassle," he said. "We just find back roads. Luckily there’s a back entrance into our store,. Just finding different routes to get to work has been a challenge every morning.”
Yet, Henckel said construction was on schedule and set to be open Nov. 15, until the snow hit.
Now, after lane striping is done, 44th street will be open by Monday, Nov. 24, Henckel told FOX 17.
“Traffic will be improved,” he said. “The benefits of concrete: it’s longer lasting, it’s a harder surface, and it won’t be a deflective due to heavy loads with heavy traffic.”
Henckel said this project cost the city about $3.3 million.
