JACKSON, MI – The city of Jackson is closing three streets in Ella Sharp Park through the winter.
The Jackson City Council unanimously approved the closure of sections of Birchwood Drive, Maplewood Drive and W. Hickory Avenue during its Tuesday, Jan. 25 meeting in hopes it will reduce street clearing efforts and illegal activity.
Related: ‘Disheartening’ trash dumping, off-roading reported at Ella Sharp Park, officials say
Large concrete barriers are being placed on the streets to block vehicle traffic for the rest of the winter, but the streets will remain open to pedestrians. The roads will open again to vehicles in the spring, City Manager Jonathan Greene said.
The streets are mainly designed to connect residents with park facilities and trails, so no homes or businesses are located on them. During the past year, though, these areas have seen increased illegal activity, such as people dumping trash, vandalizing of property and large trucks off-roading onto lawns, officials said.
Seeing the ongoing damage at the park is disheartening, Parks and Recreation Director Kelli Hoover said, adding she believes the closures could help reduce that activity.
“Our residents should be able to safely enjoy the park without having to worry about these issues,” Hoover said in a statement.
The traffic count on Maplewood Drive between Birchwood Drive and Probert Road was 300 vehicles per day in 2016 and 235 in 2019. The traffic count on W. Hickory Avenue from Horton Road to Fourth Street was 565 per day in 2016 and 754 in 2019.
The low traffic on Maplewood and Birchwood drives means that undesirable activities can occur with a small chance of anyone being around to observe them, officials said, adding that the increase on W. Hickory Avenue has resulted in crashes due to reckless driving.
The rough street conditions are also an issue, officials said, adding it is hoped closing the streets will help stave off deterioration.
The closures also mean the city’s Department of Public Works has less street surfaces to plow, so crews can give more attention to neighborhood streets, officials said.
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