Kalamazoo County to undergo three major U.S. 131 projects

Kalamazoo County, Michigan, is set to see three major construction projects on U.S. 131 in 2025. Two of these projects are already in progress and will affect traffic on the highway and surrounding areas. The first project focuses on the U.S. 131 business loop interchange linked to Kalamazoo’s Northside neighborhood. This $19 million project aims to improve access to U.S. 131 and downtown Kalamazoo. Work started in late February and is expected to finish by November. The project includes adding two new ramps, which will require the construction of a new bridge. During the work, there will be five weekends of total closures yet to be scheduled, while single-lane closures will occur at other times. South of this site, another project at the U.S. 131 and West Main Street interchange is underway. This $10 million project involves widening West Main Street and adding new traffic signals. Notably, a southbound off-ramp will be removed, while the existing exit ramp at 38B will receive a new traffic light. Full details about closures and costs will be provided once a contractor is chosen. Further south, construction crews are in the second year of a three-year project to replace the U.S. 131 bridges over KL Avenue and Amtrak rail lines. This $24 million project resumed on March 10. KL Avenue will be closed until November to allow for bridge work, and the Stadium Drive ramp to northbound U.S. 131 will also be closed until late June. Despite the construction, two lanes in both directions on U.S. 131 will remain open, shifting to a temporary bridge as needed.