WALKER, Mich. — The city of Walker is preparing for a major overhaul of its infrastructure, with a long-awaited upgrade to Fruit Ridge Avenue and its interchange with I-96. At an open house held Monday night, city and state engineers presented plans for the reconstruction, which will replace the existing bridge, originally built in 1961, and expand the interchange.
The feedback from residents during the 90-minute session was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees expressing enthusiasm for the improvements. “This will be good that they are doing this,” one local resident remarked. Another attendee added, “It will be a nice change. I’ve ridden my bike across that bridge before. It’s pretty sketchy. It’s only two lanes.”
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) plans to begin construction on March 31, with the project expected to be completed by the end of the construction season. During the construction, all highway and local traffic will be detoured to Walker Avenue, located two miles east of the Fruit Ridge interchange. Despite potential disruptions, residents seem optimistic about the future benefits of the project. “It could be messy, but just when you are about to get angry about it, it will be done,” said Mike Bannink, a Walker resident.
The most significant part of the project will be the expansion of the Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge from two lanes to five, designed to improve traffic flow for vehicles. In addition, dedicated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians will be added on either side of the structure. These new bike lanes will connect to local trail networks, including the Fred Meijer and Musketawa trails, providing cyclists with easy access to both downtown Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore.
Local residents are particularly excited about the new trail connections. “The Fred Meijer trail goes behind my house. When they first put it in, I thought, ‘They will never use it,’” Bannink said. “Every single day I see people out there. That hookup to the Musketawa trail will be great for them.”
Jack Wysocki, another local resident, echoed the sentiment, adding, “I use the Fred Meijer trail and would love to have better access to Musketawa, because it heads west. It’s hard for me to get from my house out that way, unless I go all the way to Meijer and go across there.”
With bike traffic in the area increasing as access to local trails expands, these improvements are expected to be a welcome addition to the community. Residents and city officials alike are hopeful that the reconstruction will provide long-term benefits, making the area safer and more accessible for everyone.
