GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Thousands of drivers travel Fuller Avenue every day, but one Grand Rapids neighbor says the corridor has become too dangerous — and she wants the city to do something about it.
WATCH: Fuller Avenue safety concerns prompt calls for road redesign in Grand Rapids
Arielle Leipham Ellis has lived in the Fulton Heights neighborhood with her family for 17 years. She says traffic on Fuller Avenue has gone from bad to dangerous.
"I don't know anybody who, frankly, feels comfortable walking down Fuller," Ellis said.
Ellis says she has seen deadly crashes and experienced several close calls herself. She says cars regularly exceed the posted 25-mile-per-hour speed limit.
"At least once a year, if not twice a year, a car will be going too fast down Fuller, and it will drive up onto the curb and the sidewalk," Ellis said.
While standing along the road, I noticed most — if not all — of the cars that drove past appeared to be driving well above the posted speed limit.
"This is a residential [area]. This is lined with homes. There's a park. We have some small businesses," Ellis said.
As concerns among neighbors grow, Ellis is proposing several changes to the stretch of Fuller Avenue between Michigan and Fulton — including narrowing the road, widening the sidewalk, and adding bike lanes. She says the changes would slow traffic and make the corridor safer for everyone.
"We could really have a street that is safe and pleasant for everyone, which would be a major improvement for the folks who live along here and for the people who want to get where they're going safely," Ellis said.
A city spokesperson responded to Ellis' concerns with a statement pointing to measures already taken, including construction of a new pedestrian beacon at Fuller and Lyon. The city said work is ongoing and that it appreciates the community's engagement as "we continue building a transportation network that supports everyone."
Ellis says she understands change takes time and expressed optimism about the city's direction.
"We understand that things have to happen slowly over the course of time, and we're really excited about where the city is headed with pedestrian and cyclist improvements, because it's good for everybody," Ellis said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
