Correction: In a previous version of this story, it attributed the quotes of Steven Roach to Ron Lacasse. The reporter spoke to Roach and not to Lacasse and the story has been updated to reflect this.
Beginning in June, East Lansing will face major construction projects that will last throughout the summer. The City of East Lansing’s Department of Public Works said completion of many of the projects should come right before school starts in the fall.
The biggest project will take place on North Harrison Road between Lake Lansing Road and Saginaw Street, starting June 13 and ending August 19. A detour will be in place during that time. Michigan Department of Transportation will administer the project. The Department of Public Works has reached out to neighborhood associations immediately adjacent to the project site.
Steven Roach design engineer for the City of East Lansing, said this will be the last major construction project for at least two years because MDOT gave the City of East Lansing funds up front to fully complete the North Harrison Road project this summer, rather than splitting up the project over the course of two summers. Therefore, East Lansing will not receive any federal funds to complete another major project next summer.
“We have to work around what we have available in terms of funds,” Roach said, speaking of how the city determines what construction projects to work on.
There are several funds for each type of project, including a street account and sidewalk account. The city evaluates what roads are in the worst condition and then determines what will get worked on next by budget size, which varies every fiscal year.
Smaller summer construction projects include working on northbound and southbound lanes on South Harrison Road, fixing streets in the Chesterfield Hills Neighborhood and fixing water mains and sewer work on Glenmoor Road.
The City of East Lansing has also already started working on a Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, Project on Park Lane, which will include making sidewalk ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
