BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — City contractor crews began a chip seal project along four roadways throughout the City of Battle Creek this week.
The chip seal project will occur in three phases. The first phase involves the application of the chip seal material to the roadway. Then, crews will vacuum sweep the excess chip seal material from the roadway. Finally, a fog seal finish will be applied to the roadway. Additional work to add pavement markings to the finished roadways will follow, as well.
The four specific roadways throughout the City of Battle Creek set to undergo chip seal work include:
- Helmer Road South, from Gethings Road to West Columbia Avenue
- West Territorial Road, from Helmer Road to Capital Avenue SW
- South Kendall Street, from West Dickman Road to Michigan Avenue
- Hamblin Avenue, from South Washington Avenue to Division Street
There are no expected road closures during this chip seal project, however drivers and pedestrians should expect temporary delays due to work. Flaggers will be present along roadways set for chip seal work to assist with traffic. During the final fog seal finish, the flaggers will partially close one lane of the roadway at a time, during work, and redirect traffic to the open lane.
Neighbors will be able to access their homes at all times during the chip seal project; however, neighbors living along these roadways should not park along the street when it’s set to undergo chip seal work, to allow the project to continue uninterrupted. Door hangers will be distributed to let neighbors know when their roadway is set for chip seal work, 24 hours in advance.
Work hours will generally be from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Crews began the project Monday, July 8, with chip seal work being planned for July 8-11 and fog seal work scheduled for July 11-13, with pavement markings to follow. Crews expect the work to be completed by Saturday, July 13 (except for final pavement markings), weather permitting.
Some Battle Creek Transit routes may be impacted by this chip seal project, as follows:
- Helmer Road South, from Gethings Road to West Columbia Avenue, work: 2W - Columbia/Territorial route will be impacted, possible delays
- West Territorial Road, from Helmer Road to Capital Avenue SW, work: 2W - Columbia/Territorial route will be impacted, possible delays
- South Kendall Street, from West Dickman Road to Michigan Avenue, work: This work will not impact any Transit routes
- Hamblin Avenue, from South Washington Avenue to Division Street, work: This work will impact multiple Transit routes, including:
- 1W - West Michigan - This route will detour both outbound and inbound. Traveling outbound, the 1W bus will take McCamly Street to Van Buren Street. It will take a left on Van Buren Street, a left on United Way, and a right on West Michigan Avenue to resume its normal route. Traveling inbound, the 1W bus will follow the same detour: West Michigan Avenue to United Way, a left on United Way, a right on Van Buren Street, a right on McCamly Street, and then back on its normal route to the transfer center. During this detour, the 1W bus will be unable to service the bus stop located on Hamblin Avenue at Carlyle Street.
- 3E - Main/Post – This route will detour both outbound and inbound. Traveling outbound, the 3E bus will turn right exiting the transfer center and turn left on Dickman Road. It will then take a right on M-66 North, and then a right on Hamblin Avenue to resume its normal route.Traveling inbound, the 3E bus will travel NE Capital Avenue to Jackson Street, take a right on Jackson Street, a left on McCamly Street, and then resume its normal route to the transfer center. During this detour, the 3E bus will be unable to service the bus stop located on Hamblin Avenue near W.K. Kellogg Institute.
- 3W - Kendall/Goodale – This route will detour when traveling inbound. Traveling inbound, the 3W bus will take Washington Avenue to Van Buren Street. It will then take a left on Van Buren Street and a right on McCamly Street, to the transfer center. During this detour, the 3W bus will be unable to service the bus stops located on Washington Avenue at Michigan Avenue and on Hamblin Avenue at Carlyle Street.
- 4N - NE Capital - This route will detour both outbound and inbound. Traveling outbound, the 4N bus will take McCamly Street to Van Buren Street. The bus will then turn right on Van Buren Street to resume its normal route.Traveling inbound, the 4N bus will take NE Capital Avenue to Van Buren Street, turning right on Van Buren Street and left on McCamly Street, to resume its normal route to the transfer center. During this detour, the 4N bus will be unable to service the bus stops located outbound on NE Capital Avenue at West Michigan Avenue, and on NE Capital Avenue before Van Buren Street. Inbound, the 4N bus will be unable to service the bus stops located at Division Street and West Michigan Avenue, and on Hamblin Avenue near Monroe Street.
Transit will continue to operate these routes as normal when possible, however riders should expect delays along these routes. When a detour is needed during this chip seal work, neighbors will be sent a notification reminder via both Transit’s Facebook page and Transit Announcement text alerts, which neighbors can subscribe to on the city website’s Notify Me page. (The Transit Announcements can be found under the “Alert Center” category on the Notify Me page.)
If any of these impacted roadways are only open to a single lane of traffic, due to a temporary lane closure and/or lane shift during work, then Transit may have to service a bus stop from a different lane. Neighbors are reminded to be cautious when traveling behind buses, as they may make sudden stops to service passengers boarding or exiting the buses.
We appreciate everyone’s patience during all work on our city’s infrastructure.
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