NILES —  After years of planning and public and stakeholder meetings, the Michigan Department of Transportation has completed the study of the reconstruction of the US-12/M-51 interchange and the US-12/Third Street intersection in Niles Township.

Design of the $26 million project has started with new considerations based on feedback from local leaders, stakeholders and residents. Indirect left turns, or “Michigan lefts,” will replace the current US-12 intersections with 3rd Street and M-51.

Construction is expected to start in 2023. MDOT will remove existing bridges, reconstruct 1 mile of US-12, and resurface 2.5 miles of M-51.

“Our meetings with the public and stakeholders revealed the community had more concerns about congestion and crashes at the 3rd Street intersection than at M-51,” said MDOT project manager Kyle Rudlaff. The interactive approach used in this study led us to look at more than just the interchange and address the community’s highest priorities while still accomplishing our original goals. This project will improve the US-12 corridor and specifically address congestion and crashes at the Third Street intersection well into the future.”