COMMERCE DRIVE CLOSED THURSDAY;

TWO LANES NOW OPEN ON EASTMAN AVENUE

Weather permitting, Commerce Drive at Eastman Avenue will be closed to through traffic on Thursday, July 15 to allow for a one-day street paving project. Local traffic will be allowed on Commerce Drive; all other motorists should use the new Elisenal Drive to the east of Eastman Avenue to reach businesses on Commerce Drive.

To help alleviate heavy traffic flows in that section of the city, two lanes on Eastman Avenue are now open for local traffic. Motorists are encouraged to drive with extreme caution as construction crews continue to work on a street widening project on Eastman Avenue from Joe Mann Blvd. to Commerce Drive. It is estimated that the project to widen Eastman Avenue to five lanes will be completed by August 13.

The open lanes on Eastman Avenue will also serve as a detour once another road widening project begins on Jefferson Avenue from Joe Mann Blvd. to Broadhead Drive. The Jefferson Avenue project is scheduled to start on Monday, July 19, with a completion date of October 15.

With the 2004 construction season well underway, motorists are encouraged to sign up for weekly and last-minute construction updates by subscribing to City Hall News on the City of Midland website at www.midland-mi.org under the e-news heading. Motorists may also check the construction page on the City of Midland website for construction detour maps and details. Look for this on the City of Midland website under the “What’s New” heading.

For questions or further information on this project, please contact the City Engineering Department at 989-837-3348.