A proposed roundabout on M-21 in St. Johns is getting some big pushback from the community.
Why MDOT Says the M-21 Roundabout Is Needed
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) confirmed the plan. The roundabout is part of a larger $15 million reconstruction project for M-21 through St. Johns. The project is slated to begin in 2029, but already community members are fighting against it.
Sherri Mulligan is one of those community members. Her convenience market and garden shop businesses sit on the proposed intersection.
The roundabout is being proposed for the intersection of M-21 and Scott Road, which MDOT spokesman Aaron Jenkins says was identified as “a location in need of operational and safety enhancements due to the s-curve and reported excessive speeds of drivers as they enter the city.”
Local Business Owners Fear Loss of Traffic
Mulligan says she relies on the fact that M-21 is a main thoroughfare for farm equipment moving through the city and for big rigs making their way to and from Grand Rapids and Flint. She says turning that intersection into a roundabout would deter — and in some cases completely re-route — some drivers, causing her to lose business. Not to mention the loss of business while the road is closed for the construction of the intersection…