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Apr 04, 2023

Complete makeover of unsightly Roosevelt Park entryway starts this summer

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – A bumpy, drab main entry into the city of Roosevelt Park

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – A bumpy, drab main entry into the city of Roosevelt Park is about to get a major makeover.

Glenside Boulevard is getting a redo, which will include a section of divided boulevard fitting for the thoroughfare's name.

The complete reconstruction of the road and addition of sidewalk, lighting, landscaping and other amenities is scheduled to begin the week of July 10 with completion by Oct. 1, Roosevelt Park City Manager Jared Olson told MLive/The Muskegon Chronicle.

The project area stretches from Sherman Boulevard south to Broadway Avenue. It includes a new railroad crossing.

"This is a transformational entryway project," Olson said.

The total cost of the project is $1.35 million with about half paid with grants and outside funding, he said.

The city's Public Works Superintendent Ben VanHoeven has been a "rock star" in identifying various sources of funding for the project, Olson said.

The city's downtown development authority is contributing $500,000 and the remaining $90,000 will come from the city's local streets fund comprised primarily of state sales tax revenues, he said.

The project precedes plans for a linear park south of the rail line on both sides of Glenside that will be constructed in 2025.

It will coincide with significant playground renovations at Wells Park about a block south on Glenside.

Features of the road project include:

Benches and bike racks will be added when the linear park is developed in 2025.

City officials hope the road makeover will help spur commercial development along that section of Glenside, including an old bottling plant the city owns for which it recently received development proposals, Olson said. The city also would like to see development of a 15-acre former petroleum tank farm on the west side of Glenside, he said.

During construction on Glenside, traffic will be detoured on Roosevelt Road, Norton Avenue and McCracken Street. Sherman and Henry Street cannot be used for the detour because of planned road work by the city of Muskegon.

"This definitely has been on our radar for the better part of the last six or seven years," Olson said. "It is a long time coming and we’re excited to see this start."

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