After being closed for seven months, the ribbon was cut on the half-mile stretch of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue Southwest, also known as Grandville Avenue. Road improvements were made between Clyde Park Avenue and Hall Street that runs through largely Latino neighborhoods.
“Well, that was very difficult, very hard, because we have the street completely closed.”
Ivette Reyes has owned neighborhood M & M Bakery for the past 35 years. She says the 7 months of construction were a burden for hers and other businesses but thinks the improvements will be good for the area.
“They’re going to improve a lot. I was motivating each individual business owners for trying to clean, do nice, do better, and trying to bring the community for the whole West Michigan to the neighborhood.”
The $7.5 million project included the replacement of lead water pipes at 29 private properties, new driveway approaches, on-street parking, curb extensions at intersections and new fiberglass streetlights.
Finishing work will continue over the next two weeks which may prompt occasional lane closures.
