~darn 131 highway

[mrknowitall]

damn damn danm! whats the deal with mdot! they are F*$king up.

1hr to get from 44th to downtown, after they kicked me off the highway....for a fallin piece of concrete. they take forever to do anything, i have had enought....

call

616-451-3091

and complain about

roger safford not handleing this 131 construction right.

they put up the scurve in 6 mos, and they can put in one bridge in 8mos. i want him fired.

[MJLO]

Im with ya knowitall, I come from the other direction, Rockford. and it takes me 45 minutes every morning to get thru the squeeze from W. River Dr. to Ann St. How come MDOT pinched off the 131 both directions heading into downtown. It serves as not only the major economic artery for the Grand Rapids area, but the entire western half of Michigan! This summer you cannot get into the Metropolitan Grand Rapids area without hitting a major construction backup, N, S, E, W, It doesnt matter!

[LA Dave]

You poor babies (though 45 minutes from Rockford does seem like a bad commute).

It takes me about an hour plus to go 24 miles, and that is considered a pretty good commute.

Why can't the Rockford folks take old US-131, Northland Drive, until it hits Plainfield, and then Division, and then into town?

As for NB, what about S. Division or maybe Roger Chaffee Drive, then Madison?

[twoshort]

I get on 196 at Lane, merge onto 131 south and take that to M-6. I never hit traffic, ever. 30 minutes each day from NW Grand Rapids to Middleville. I'd say that's a pretty good time for that commute. It seems traffic is always slow going the opposite direction.

[fluffy]

I think mdot has a deal with the gas companies. Squeeze down both directions of 131, make the commuters sit in traffic and burn away fuel.

There's a conspiracy somewhere in there, I know it!

I'm not sure what would take longer for me heading north: waiting in traffic on 131 or stopping at a light every 500 feet on Division.

[GRDadof3]

Welcome fluffy! I was just talking to a co-worker about roadwork, and how Andy Dykema, who owns Dykema Excavating, wanted to relocate Cannonsburg road away from the Grand River (to market higher priced condos for his new development there). Plainfield Twp said fine, but you have to pay for the whole thing. He said fine, and about 4 weeks later, the ENTIRE intersection of Northland Drive and Cannonsburg/West River was reconfigured, re-aligned, rebuilt, repaved, and Cannonsburg Rd was moved about 300 yards North and reconfigured with Brewer. MDOT would make it a 6 month project, and the final product would still suck!

[OneSweetWorld]

it takes me about 45 minutes to get one 131 at west river and take it south to burton st. but it wasnt any better before the construction-it still sucked. thats why they are adding the lanes.

they sure as hell could speed it up though

**if your going south, take west river dr. south and get on at ann st or leanord. it turns a half hour drive into about ten minutes.

[MJLO]

have you tried the w. river/ ann route in the past few weeks?

w. river backs up past the express way, I just take Alpine, god forbid,

it ends up saving me about ten minutes, I take it to leonard. They need more north south relief streets on the north end of town. Pretty much there is Alpine, 131, and Plainfield, all pretty much a pain in the butt. I guess you could throw the East Beltline in there too, but that is beyond way out of the way, if you have to head downtown.

[rallymatt]

Welcome fluffy!  I was just talking to a co-worker about roadwork, and how Andy Dykema, who owns Dykema Excavating, wanted to relocate Cannonsburg road away from the Grand River (to market higher priced condos for his new development there).  Plainfield Twp said fine, but you have to pay for the whole thing.  He said fine, and about 4 weeks later, the ENTIRE intersection of Northland Drive and Cannonsburg/West River was reconfigured, re-aligned, rebuilt, repaved, and Cannonsburg Rd was moved about 300 yards North and reconfigured with Brewer.  MDOT would make it a 6 month project, and the final product would still suck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

God the new intersection sucks. The whole look of leaving the city, and into the country is gone. I hate it.

Instead you look at a big ol gravel pit, and soon you get to see bunked out condo's. Blech.

[GRDadof3]

God the new intersection sucks. The whole look of leaving the city, and into the country is gone. I hate it.

Instead you look at a big ol gravel pit, and soon you get to see bunked out condo's. Blech.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's the best you can expect to see in Rockford And bunked out medium-density condos is better than seeing 900 sq ft bi-levels sitting on two-acre parcels . The actual intersection is much better, I think, and making that loop to go West is not taking your life into your own hands. I do miss the "R" hill though. I look forward to a day when I never have to go that way again.

[eagle]

4 weeks later, the ENTIRE intersection of Northland Drive and Cannonsburg/West River was reconfigured, re-aligned, rebuilt, repaved, and Cannonsburg Rd was moved about 300 yards North and reconfigured with Brewer.  MDOT would make it a 6 month project, and the final product would still suck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah..the difference between the private sector and the inflated government.

[torgo]

I think Michigan should change its state slogan to "Michigan: Where everything is always under construction because we never bother pick up our orange construction barrels."

[MJLO]

"Michigan, orange is cool!"

[torgo]

"Michigan, orange is cool!"

Michigan, we'll leave lanes closed on major highways for months on end because its fun to watch traffic jams!"

[twoshort]

Michigan, we'll leave lanes closed on major highways for months on end because its fun to watch traffic jams!"

Yesterday, when 131 was down to only two lanes from 44th to Wealthy and there was NO ONE WORKING on the north bound side, That REALLY pissed me off. I understand the 28th St. part (which appeared to be 3 lanes in both directions this morning), but 44th to Wealthy seemed excessive.

[PBJ]

Michigan, we'll leave lanes closed on major highways for months on end because its fun to watch traffic jams!"

I'll add my bi@tch.... the damn 28th street bridge (where I SHOULD get on). They got the bridge like 98% complete, except the 3 of the on ramps (which is also crucial to me) and then they pulled everyone out of there and left like 1 dude with a garden ho, shovel, bag of redi-mix and a bucket of water out there finishing the job.

[torgo]

Yesterday, when 131 was down to only two lanes from 44th to Wealthy and there was NO ONE WORKING on the north bound side, That REALLY pissed me off. I understand the 28th St. part (which appeared to be 3 lanes in both directions this morning), but 44th to Wealthy seemed excessive.

Yah, its been that way for a few days. the only work I saw was the shovel-leaners doing something south of 44th in the median.

[GRDadof3]

It's all part of the "Cool Cities" effort to get people off of the highways and do some urban exploring.

[GRDadof3]

Does anyone know if 131 Southbound North of downtown is going be 4 lanes? It certainly looks wide enough in the current construction zone (when is that going to be finished? )

[Stumbleine]

Does anyone know if 131 Southbound North of downtown is going be 4 lanes? It certainly looks wide enough in the current construction zone (when is that going to be finished? )

i say they make all the highways anywhere near the city 4 lanes, and yeah, they can make the east beltline 4 lanes too. and if theres not enough space downtown, well then they can put one deck on top of the other. yes. heh

[torgo]

I wonder when the DOT is going to come back and pick up all their construction barrels in the south 131 work area. Its all done, but there is crap everywhere: barrels, signs, etc. etc. Sheesh!

[MJLO]

shoot, I don't care if they leave there stuff there just as long as they finish the north side workzone before my thirties approach

[mrknowitall]

i just got back form 2weeks in maine. drove there and back. vermont/upsate Ny/Mine/NH all have perfect roads. so smooth if i fell out of the car with shorts on i wouldnt skin my knee. whos in charge of the road money here in michigan. i need to see their books. somebodys not buying the right stuff or pushing a fleet of yukon denalis

[GRDadof3]

Yah, about 4 years ago, I had to drive from Baltimore's airport to Newark, and I-95 was an amazingly smooth and well made highway, and varied from 3 - 4 lanes each direction. I don't remember if it was a toll road, though. I couldn't take the 65mph speed limit though And people were actually going that slow. I was passing everyone going 70, and that was hard to maintain (especially with 4 lanes and very little traffic)

[OneSweetWorld]

Does anyone know if 131 Southbound North of downtown is going be 4 lanes? It certainly looks wide enough in the current construction zone (when is that going to be finished? )

131 is going to be 3 lanes from west river until 131 and i96 submerge. from there it is 4 lanes--the right lane will be an exit only lane for ann street (i saw them put up the new sign, and it looks like ann street has an exit only lane,. but now the "exit only" part is covered up) so there is 4 lanes for like 1/4 mile