MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On March 23, a virtual meeting with the Michigan Department of Transportation was held.

The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the resurfacing of M-43 Park Lake Road to Oak Pointe Court.

MDOT will be investing $14.7 million towards resurfacing and drainage improvements on M-43.

Work will include joint and crack repairs, intermittent curb and gutter replacement, spot drainage repairs, sidewalk ramp upgrades compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, pedestrian island installation, pavement marking upgrades, and traffic signal improvements.

Two reconstruction locations: 1200 feet near Nakoma Dr. and 1030 feet near Okemos Road. MDOT, in partnership with the Ingham County Drain Commission and Meridian Township, will be raising the grade of Grand River two inches at low points along M-43.

This effort is in part due to the recurrence of flooding that has occurred over the last several years. It will minimize flooding impacts during 10 year storm events.

MDOT is also partnering with the Ingham County Drain Commission to relocate 200 feet of sixteen inch main water lines. Once this is complete, MDOT will then upgrade the Okemos and Gettenberger drains.

MDOT also plans to add three pedestrian crossings. The total length of this project will cover 3.25 miles.

Greg Lausch with the Michigan dDepartment of Transportation said, “We are really excited about the opportunity to bring this investment to the area.”

Work is anticipated to begin in March for tree clearing activities, transitioning to road work beginning in April. The project is anticipated to be completed by June 2023.

Road work is to be completed with one lane open in each direction on M-43, this will affect the intersection of Okemos Road. Business access will be maintained throughout the project.

During the spring and summer of 2022, short term closure of the outside lanes east of Marsh Road to Oak Pointe Court will occur to reconstruct and improve sidewalk ramps. This will be followed by milling area resurfacing of the outside lanes followed by milling and resurfacing the median lanes.

Construction will then switch to east of RR bridge to east of Marsh Road. This construction will occur from spring to fall of 2022. MDOT will resurface the remainder of the roadway. The reconstruction will be performed part width, constructing the north half of the roadway first with two lanes of traffic (one in each direction) maintained on the south half of the road. The second half of the reconstruction will have two lanes of traffic (one in each direction) maintained on the north half of the road.

Sidewalks will be closed within the reconstruction limits and detoured to the opposite side of the roadway. Then, from April to July of 2023 after the completion of all construction, the roadway will be milled and resurfaced.

The meeting ended with comments from the public. All information regarding MDOT’s construction plans are available on the Meridian Township website.