Coming soon to downtown St. Joseph will be a temporary pedestrian island on Main Street.

Assistant City Manager Emily Hackworth tells us the city last year got permission from the Michigan Department of Transportation to install the island in the center turn lane. Due to delays, the island was never installed last year, but now they have everything in place for it to be installed this year.

Hackworth says the island will help people cross Main Street in the busy summer months.

“The real key is to improve pedestrian safety across Main Street,” Hackworth said. “This is being installed at the intersection on Main Street right at Pleasant Street, and the idea is to allow people a little bit more time to go across Main Street. With the pedestrian island in place, there will be sort of a refuge in the middle of Main Street.”

Hackworth says a lot of people cross Main Street at Pleasant Street due to all of the restaurants and bars on the east side. However, it’s not the safest place to cross. The pedestrian island should help.

City staff will install the island after the Blossomtime Parade. It’ll remain there all summer and then be removed for the winter so as not to interfere with plowing operations.