Workers on rollers smooth out asphalt on the repaved Grand River Avenue on June 14, 2013. Some of the rollers are designed to smooth out the marks in the asphalt, while others help compact it. Julia Nagy/The State News
Every lane of Grand River Avenue between Michigan Avenue and Bogue Street opened Saturday, almost two months ahead of schedule, Michigan Department of Transportation, or MDOT, Project Engineer Greg Losch said.
Though open, minor work still is needed on curb ramps and traffic signals, Losch added. Crews should complete all minor work by this week, or the end of June at the latest.
“There may be intermittent lane closures, but the work won’t take long,” Losch said.
This leg of the campuswide construction originally was scheduled for completion by Aug. 9, but Losch said they incentivized this portion of the construction because it cut off access to a large portion of East Lansing.
“We try to impact people in the (smallest) way possible, and this got us out of there faster,” Losch said.
Losch added that when MDOT planned a crew or two for a portion of the project, the contractor supplied three or four, which doubled the construction process.
He said the contractor’s incentive is an additional payment if the project is completed on or before the targeted date, which helps crews to “get in, get out and get it done.”
With the Grand River Avenue project complete, crews will close northbound Beal Street on Monday, starting at West Circle Drive and extending to the Michigan Avenue exit, according to an MDOT press release.
The closure will last seven days, while access to southbound Beal Street from Michigan Avenue will be maintained up to West Circle Drive.
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