WALKER, Michigan – A popular shopping center in Kent County could soon look a lot different.
The City of Walker is planning to replace the traffic signal in the Green Ridge Square Shopping Center off Alpine Avenue.
Walker’s engineer says they have considered many different ways to improve the traffic light at the corner of Center and Weatherford, which is near the Target and Hobby Lobby right off Alpine.
The plan is for crews to replace the traffic signal with a roundabout.
City Engineer Scott Conners says he knows the intersection has been trouble for drivers and the signal needed to be replaced anyway.
Conners says this project will fix both the issues for drivers and help improve access points to the businesses.
“With 60,000 cars a day or up to 60,000 cars a day on Alpine, that tends to be a big problem, because the trouble from Alpine bleeds into Center Drive,” Conners said. “So, our hope is that with the roundabout, we can remove some of the difficult left turns that are there and make the access to the various commercial uses a whole lot better.”
Conners says he believes this roundabout will come with a lot of benefits, including not having to wait at the red light anymore.
He also hopes giving this area a facelift will give it a new, fresh look.
The project, which is in its very early stages, is estimated to cost a little more than a million dollars.
The goal is for construction to begin next year.
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