Northern Michigan University dorm construction is causing an unsafe environment for residents and pedestrians.

In the last few weeks of NMU’s construction, the area of Waldo Street and Presque Isle Avenue has become incredibly unsafe. There has been a tremendous influx of traffic, folks not knowing where to go, coming down Waldo street speeding and doing by U-turns at the intersection of Waldo Street and Fitch Avenue. We have expressed our concerns to NMU and project management, but as of late nothing has been addressed.

Traffic is not our only concern. Since construction started, street lights were taken down. I have witnessed numerous close calls of folks skateboarding or biking down the walk way by Cohodas and having to ditch their bike or jump off their skateboard because they are unaware the rest of the walk way is closed off.

We would like to say thank to whomever put the gravel walkway up to the paved area of the walk way (recently). (10/3/25).

The road closed signs are also not prominent (some are sideways and attached to the fence). This morning, we witnessed a truck (not a construction worker) driving through the construction area on Presque Isle and hopped the curb to get around the closed signs.  

This is detrimental to residents as well as the construction workers’ safety.

A road closed sign facing north at the corner of Summit and Fitch may detour some of this influx of traffic on Waldo. A sign at the entrance of Waldo off Presque Isle saying traffic is only for residential and that Waldo is a dead end might also be beneficial.