• This image is from roads.ingham.org

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Across the state of Michigan there are currently numerous orange cones, detours and slow down signs, which means road construction.

Currently in the Meridian Township area there are three major road projects, that are conducted by the Ingham County Road Department. One is at Lake Lansing and Hagadorn Road, the other one is at Central Park and Newman Roads and the last one contractors are working on is the section of Jolly Road that lies between Hagadorn and Dobie Road.

Here is what you need to know about each project.

-Lake Lansing and Hagadorn Road: Lake Lansing Road is closed from Hagadorn Road to Saginaw Highway and a detour is in place and signs are posted to tell drivers of the closure. In this construction zone there are residences so the contractor is maintaining local traffic. This project has been in progress since 2019, and is focusing on resurfacing the pavement to improve the intersection and to redo the culvert under Birch Row. The section of the project on Hagadorn Road and Birch Row north is now complete.

-Central Park and Newman Roads: This project is focusing on resurfacing all of Central Park Drive, from Okemos Road to Grand River Avenue as well as resurfacing Newman Road from Marsh Road to Central Park Drive. On this project the Ingham County Road Department is coordinating with Michigan State University and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to use polymer coated rubber and Modified HMA mixtures to ensure a better quality of pavement, which will allow these improvements to last longer. As of July 8, the contractor will finish the prep work and then start paving, the contractor will only be able to maintain traffic in one direction.

-With Jolly Road, this project is focusing on resurfacing the remaining portions of Jolly Road that are in between Hagadorn Road and Dobie Road. This project is also focusing on reconfiguring the layout of traffic lanes. A single lane is being placed in either direction with a center turn lane.

HOMTV had a chance to talk to William Conklin who is the Managing Director of the Ingham County Road Department to discuss these projects.

“Most of these projects should be done during the summer months before the end of August. I’ll just run down and give you a quick update,” said Conklin.

"The Central Park project which is being resurfaced between Okemos and then over to Marsh and around Grand River is expected actually to be done in the next few days. That’s going to be re-striped to three lanes with a set of turn lanes, one lane in each direction and bike lanes on each side.”

“Lake Lansing is being done between Hagadorn and Saginaw and right turn lanes are being added on eastbound Lake Lansing at both Hagadorn and Park Lake Road. That is also going to be re-striped for three lanes with those right turn lanes I just mentioned, that project is expected to be done in mid August. We currently have the Park Lake and Lake Lansing intersection closed, we expect that’ll be closed for two more weeks and the detour to use is Saginaw Highway between Lake Lansing and Hagadorn to get around that area.”

“The third large primary county road project in Meridian Township is of course Jolly Road between Hagadorn and Dobie not including the Okemos intersection was done a number of years ago; so that project is actually specifically from Jolly to Kansas Street which is west of Okemos Road and then again from Allenton Parkway which is east of Okemos Road to Dobie Road. That is being resurfaced, the milling is starting this week and again we expect this project to be done at the end of August,” said Conklin.

These improvements are expected to last fifteen to twenty years.

For these projects, to keep yourself and construction workers safe please stay alert, drive at a lower speed and take heed to detours and directions.