More Curbside Parking Coming to Downtown on Terrace Street

Andrew Trzaska | September 27, 2011

Continuing a trend of traffic and parking changes downtown, the City of Muskegon’s downtown roadwork will soon create more curbside parking spots along Terrace Street.

Muskegon’s City Commission approved a contract with MDOT to resurface Terrace Street from Apple Avenue to Western Avenue.  This is roughly from the Kobza Hall of Justice building at the southeast end to the Muskegon Fire Station and Central Dispatch at the northwest end.

Discussed in Tuesday’s meeting was how and where curbside parking would be placed, based on questions from the commission.

Mohammed Al-Shatel, Director of Public Works noted that parking spots would be placed on the outside curbs of the road from Apple Avenue until Clay Avenue.  This will reduce the traffic lanes in each direction from three to two.

These spots will mimick the existing spots found in the block of Terrace from Clay to Western to remain as-is.

Adding new non-lot parking to downtown is just one of multiple ways the city has changed traffic flow and increased access to locations along main thoroughfares through the town.

Several years ago, Webster and Muskegon Avenues went two-way after being one way for several decades.  On-street, curbside parking was added on both directions on each of these roads.  When the eastern end of Western Avenue was rebuilt after the demolition of the Muskegon Mall, the road was divided down the middle and angle parking was added in both directions.

Plans for adding spots at eastern end of downtown on Terrace were part of this trend, according to commissioners.

“We’ve talked about this for a number of years,” said Spataro.

The cost of the project is slated to be $240,200, with MDOT federal funds set to pay for up to $160,000 of the cost.  The remaining $64,200 will come from the city’s budget, which has been planned for in the 2011-2012 budget.

Construction will begin sometime in middle of 2012, according to Al-Shatel.