GRANDVILLE, Mich. — The City of Grandville is planning to transform the east end gateway of Chicago Drive, turning a fast-paced stretch of road into a pedestrian-friendly extension of downtown.
City leaders say the project includes new sidewalks, more public space, and safety improvements. The city expects construction to start after Labor Day.
Griffin Graham, City Manager of Grandville, said the city will make striping changes to reduce the road from four lanes to two lanes.
"I think it's going to make it feel more consistent with the other streetscape changes that were made in that Chicago drive corridor," Graham said.
The project aims to extend the look and feel of downtown further east, turning a pass-through area into a destination.
"What we're really hoping for is to create a feeling of place, of you, of uniformity, of engagement, and really build on this vision of trying to have a really great place for people to come shop, play, work and engage in Grandville," Graham said.
The upcoming changes hit close to home for Tippy Cow, a local ice cream shop. Owner Kat VanProyen said the current layout makes the area feel just outside the heart of downtown, making it harder for people to slow down and stay.
"I was so excited. I feel like downtown Grandville kind of always ended just a block short of our spot," VanProyen said.
VanProyen believes slowing down traffic and adding new space will make the area feel more homey.
"I think just it is in a bit of a weird spot with Chicago drive being such a fast road, kind of outside both ways, that I think slowing it down and making it more homey with this new space would be great," VanProyen said.
She added that the project could help bring more people and energy to that side of town.
"It will just kind of clean up a little bit of the area that feels a little bit more industrial. And I think just any space that we can create for families, customers, anyone to enjoy, is a great investment, and just making it a safer space, too," Vanproyen said.
This story was reported on-air 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.
