The intersection of Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township will be closed for the summer as crews hired by the Washtenaw County Road Commission convert the four-way-stop intersection into a single-lane roundabout.
Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Road Commission
The $1.1 million project is being coordinated by the Washtenaw County Road Commission.
The closure starts Monday, June 17. The Road Commission’s contractor for the work has until Aug. 23 to complete construction, per the agreement between the two parties.
Traffic at the intersection mounted this year after the opening of South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy in the southwest corner of the intersection at 10550 Geddes Road.
The charter public school’s parent agency, National Heritage Academies, agreed to fund the roundabout portion of the project. NHA receives its revenue from the state.
Before NHA built the school, it conducted a traffic study to see how its addition would affect area roads. Based on the findings from the study, the county's Road Commission suggested the roundabout, according to school officials.
The road construction project was factored in to the costs of building and operating the school, officials said.
The school will also be funding the installation of new streetlights at the roundabout. The Road Commission will pay for future maintenance and all electricity costs.
In addition to roundabout construction, the project also involves replacing a culvert on Ridge Road over Fowler Creek near the school.
The designated detour—about a seven-mile route around the intersection—will be to use Prospect Road, Holmes Road, Michigan Avenue, Denton Road and Proctor Road.
View Geddes and Ridge roads in a larger map
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.