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North Franks-East Lafayette Intersection Closing For Utility Work
By: Mike Stiles - Wednesday, April 20, 2022

(photo courtesy of City of Sturgis)

(STURGIS) – If you travel on East Lafayette Street in Sturgis, you will need to find another route for the next several weeks.

Sturgis Assistant City Manager Andrew Kuk says City contractors are scheduled to start utility work at the intersection of North Franks Avenue and East Lafayette Streets today. This work will close East Lafayette from the west side of the east drive of the Sturgis Middle School to Big Hill Road to all thru traffic.

The road closure started Wednesday afternoon, following the end of the school day. Work is scheduled to be completed by June 10th.

During construction, all traffic for pick-up and drop-off at Sturgis Middle School must come from the west, or North Lakeview Avenue, and utilize the west drive of the Middle School. Students walking to school from the west will be unaffected by the construction. Students walking to school from the south along North Franks Avenue, like from the Doyle Community Center and the Spence Softball Complex, will have a designated and controlled route to avoid the construction zone.

Access to Spence Softball Complex during construction will be from the south on North Franks Avenue. A temporary gravel road will be constructed and accessed north of the Doyle Center to connect citizens to the Complex. Access past the Softball Complex and through the East Lafayette intersection will not be available during construction.

Kuk says while the closure of the intersection is not ideal given that school is still in session, the utility work being completed is the first step towards completing the Franks Avenue roundabout. Work on the roundabout, which will cause further road closures in the area, is scheduled to begin in June, with targeted completion prior to the 2022-2023 school year in late August.

As always, construction timelines are dependent on weather, contractor progress, and other factors. If there are significant changes to the schedule of the utility project, the City will provide additional information via media, our Facebook page, and other outlets. The City asks that during construction residents please obey all traffic control signage and be careful if you're near active construction. Your patience during this project is greatly appreciated.



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