Jackson, MI — A $2.4 million construction project that will reconstruct a major road and build a new roundabout at a busy intersection starts Monday, June 15 in Jackson. The work is happening on S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive between E. Mason and E. Morrell streets. Crews will fully reconstruct the roadway with new underground infrastructure and pavement, along with constructing a roundabout at the intersection of S. MLK Drive and E. Morrell Street. The project is expected to wrap up in late October.
This construction project will have a big impact on this area both under and above ground. The 101 year old cast iron water main and 113 year old brick sanitary sewer will both be replaced with updated materials. The roadway will see new pavement, curbs, sidewalks, driveway approaches, lighting, and traffic signals. Work will first focus on constructing the roundabout so traffic can resume on E. Morrell.
The $2,495,962 project is taking funds from multiple sources, with $180,335 coming from special tax assessments, $733,750 from the federal government, $362,634 from City water funds, $283,763 from City sewer funds, and $935,480 from the City street funds.
This section of S. MLK Drive connects the downtown area to Jackson’s south side neighborhood and business district. The construction project will improve the connection between these two areas and provide a gateway to the south side neighborhood. The roundabout will act as a traffic calming tool and mirror roundabout design in other areas of Jackson. This new investment in the area is happening as City leaders are also working on creating initiatives to support existing businesses and attract new ones to the MLK Drive corridor. In May, the City Council formed a new public park along this stretch of MLK Drive, named Workers Memorial Park, using property from the former McCulloch Elementary School.
The intersection of S. MLK and E. Morrell will be closed to traffic through August. S. MLK in this area will be closed through late Oct. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained during the construction. Residents wanting weekly construction updates may contact Assistant City Engineer Troy White at twhite@cityofjackjson.org to sign up for email updates. Questions about the project should be directed to the Engineering Division at 517-788-4160.
