The City of Dexter will resurface Main Street this summer as part of a coordinated construction season that also includes a separate Washtenaw County Road Commission roundabout project.
Consultant Marcus McNamara of OHM Advisors outlined details during a Feb. 5 virtual public meeting.
Notably, the city’s work does not include the new roundabout at Island Lake and Dexter-Chelsea roads, which is being constructed by the Washtenaw County Road Commission.
What the Main Street Project Includes
The city project will cover Main Street from the Mill Creek bridge to Baker Road.
McNamara emphasized that it is not a full reconstruction. “So [Main Street] is an asphalt Street, which is getting a partial depth mill and overlay,” he explained. “We’re not going all the way down to stone. It’s not a full reconstruction.”
Crews will remove roughly four inches of asphalt and repave the surface. The project also includes ADA pedestrian ramp upgrades, signal improvements, and a new rectangular rapid flashing beacon at Alpine Street to improve pedestrian safety, similar to others already in the city.
Why Redo the Road Now?
Some residents have questioned why the road is being resurfaced when it appears to be in decent condition.
McNamara addressed that directly, saying, “There are a couple of reasons. The asset management strategy that the city utilizes… essentially, if you catch a road before it gets too bad or severely distressed, it’s much cheaper and much less of an inconvenience to do the maintenance work at that time.”
He added that coordinating the work with the county roundabout project makes sense.
“We understand that the roundabout project and the other work that the county is doing is going to be disrupting downtown. We didn’t want to have the same level of disruption, you know, two years in a row.”
The resurfacing is expected to extend the life of the roadway by at least seven to 10 years.
When Will It Happen?
The county roundabout project may begin May 4 or later and is scheduled for completion by late August. For Main Street, the city has set a substantial completion date for Aug. 5, ahead of the Dexter Summer Festival.
“We set the date for that of August 5, which is the Wednesday before the summer festival, so that the contractor is out of the way prior to that event,” said McNamara.
What About Access and Detours?
Unlike the roundabout project, Main Street is not expected to be fully closed for the duration. Local vehicle and pedestrian access to downtown businesses will be maintained whenever safely possible. The most disruptive work of milling and paving is expected to last only a few days within the roughly 12-week window.
Environmental Note
McNamara also noted the process is environmentally conscious. “The asphalt milling and overlaying is a green operation,” he said. “The asphalt millings are recycled.”
The meeting video and updates can be found on the city’s website.
Image: Map showing the planned construction for Dexter’s Main Street. Courtesy City of Dexter
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
