East Beltline Developments

[Quercus]

5 hours ago, TheSutterKing said:

I haven't been able to go through all 40 pages so Idk if it's been talked about, but for the growth of metro GR, I feel it's best if East Beltline expanded into a 6 lane road, 3 lanes going each way. I've noticed in the past how backed up it can get and I highly anticipate there will be a lot more of development in the future for EB so before it gets too built up I think adding an extra lane to each side would be smart.

That seems unlikely given neighboring land uses, research into induced traffic demand, and the EB's proximity to interstates. Then again MDOT has a knack for throwing money at unnecessary projects.

[GRDadof3]

7 hours ago, TheSutterKing said:

I haven't been able to go through all 40 pages so Idk if it's been talked about, but for the growth of metro GR, I feel it's best if East Beltline expanded into a 6 lane road, 3 lanes going each way. I've noticed in the past how backed up it can get and I highly anticipate there will be a lot more of development in the future for EB so before it gets too built up I think adding an extra lane to each side would be smart.

MDOT traffic counts show that I-96 from Cascade Rd to the I-196 split gets more traffic than any part of the EBL. I'm really surprised they haven't made it 3 lanes in each direction in that stretch. 

 

http://mdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=18a4b2f2ba3b4e079e935f8835862c73

[MJLO]

Funny side note US-31 through Grand Haven carries more cars than it does in either Muskegon or Holland (specifically over the drawbridge).  That M-231 bypass needs to be full freeway from I-196 near Byron Rd all the way to it's terminus at M104.   The interchange at the EBL needs to be upgraded as well.  That traffic can back up all the way to 28th st on it's worst days, a 2lane each way blvd just isn't sufficient. 

It is mind numbing to me that once again Michigan boxed itself and "can't" invest in these things,  especially in the growing west side of the state.  It's been what 20 years, since the last major infrastructure project?

[wingbert]

11 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

MDOT traffic counts show that I-96 from Cascade Rd to the I-196 split gets more traffic than any part of the EBL. I'm really surprised they haven't made it 3 lanes in each direction in that stretch. 

http://mdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=18a4b2f2ba3b4e079e935f8835862c73

Don't worry, the new diverging diamond Cascade Road overpass will solve that issue. It begins opening this evening.  The MDOT guy said on the news this morning that it will reduce the backups on the on ramps and Cascade Road.  Considering that the backups on the on ramps are due to the fact that there is no place to go because the highway is bumper to bumper seems to have escaped notice.

[x99]

33 minutes ago, wingbert said:

Don't worry, the new diverging diamond Cascade Road overpass will solve that issue. It begins opening this evening.  The MDOT guy said on the news this morning that it will reduce the backups on the on ramps and Cascade Road.  Considering that the backups on the on ramps are due to the fact that there is no place to go because the highway is bumper to bumper seems to have escaped notice.

MDOT needs to talk to the Grand Rapids Planning Department.  We would have bike lanes on all the highways by now, which would cure all imaginable traffic problems.

[GRDadof3]

8 hours ago, wingbert said:

Don't worry, the new diverging diamond Cascade Road overpass will solve that issue. It begins opening this evening.  The MDOT guy said on the news this morning that it will reduce the backups on the on ramps and Cascade Road.  Considering that the backups on the on ramps are due to the fact that there is no place to go because the highway is bumper to bumper seems to have escaped notice.

It gets people to the bottleneck faster and more efficiently. 

BTW, it appears as though 80,000 cars a day is about the magic number to jump from 4 lanes to 6 lanes. If that's the case, the EBL has a long way to go based on those traffic counts. Does it seem more congested because cars are going slower on the EBL? People can't remember where the entrance to Meijer is? 

 

[walker]

8 hours ago, x99 said:

MDOT needs to talk to the Grand Rapids Planning Department.  We would have bike lanes on all the highways by now, which would cure all imaginable traffic problems.

Not sure if more bike lanes is a good idea crime wise.  I’ve noticed that we’ve had quite a few drive-by shootings lately where the shooter was on a bike.  I don’t remember having any before we had all these bike lanes.

Edited October 21, 2016 by walker

[GRDadof3]

The Celadon development is building out their last phase, which will be at least one mixed use building along the entrance with about 2000 square feet of retail (from what I hear). Their tearing down the homes on the corner of Leffingwell and Knapp as we speak. 

That new building behind Licari's must be selling well, I could only find 3 listings. 

[joeDowntown]

On 10/29/2016 at 2:16 PM, GRDadof3 said:

The Celadon development is building out their last phase, which will be at least one mixed use building along the entrance with about 2000 square feet of retail (from what I hear). Their tearing down the homes on the corner of Leffingwell and Knapp as we speak. 

That new building behind Licari's must be selling well, I could only find 3 listings. 

A friend bought a condo in the new Celadon building and they did a lot of pre-sales before starting. I think it's very close to sold out. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

I see that Herb & Fire Pizzeria is opening their second location in the area, at Celebration Village. Drove by there the other day.

http://herbandfirepizzeria.com/

It's going in the space that was a bike shop, then a yoga place, then a doggy daycare? Then something? Across from the yogurt place. Hopefully that narrows it down. 

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

I see that Herb & Fire Pizzeria is opening their second location in the area, at Celebration Village. Drove by there the other day.

http://herbandfirepizzeria.com/

It's going in the space that was a bike shop, then a yoga place, then a doggy daycare? Then something? Across from the yogurt place. Hopefully that narrows it down. 

It was also a pizza place, and a "naked pottery" studio. That spot doesn't have a great track record!

Joe

[MJLO]

22 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

It was also a pizza place, and a "naked pottery" studio. That spot doesn't have a great track record!

Joe

Wow the mental images that have come with this post I am working toward unthinking. 

[GRLaker]

On 10/21/2016 at 9:39 AM, wingbert said:

Don't worry, the new diverging diamond Cascade Road overpass will solve that issue. It begins opening this evening.  The MDOT guy said on the news this morning that it will reduce the backups on the on ramps and Cascade Road.  Considering that the backups on the on ramps are due to the fact that there is no place to go because the highway is bumper to bumper seems to have escaped notice.

I heard the Cascade diverging diamond is going to fix all traffic issues in a 30 mile radius. 

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, GRLaker said:

I heard the Cascade diverging diamond is going to fix all traffic issues in a 30 mile radius. 

And cure world famine.

It definitely feels "weird" crossing lanes, and you can see a lot of confused drivers (I think it's the combo of construction cones and switching lanes, that should subside). It'll be interesting to see how it works.

Joe

[GVSUChris]

2 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

And cure world famine.

It definitely feels "weird" crossing lanes, and you can see a lot of confused drivers (I think it's the combo of construction cones and switching lanes, that should subside). It'll be interesting to see how it works.

Joe

I think the construction clutter really adds to the confusion. I got off at Cascade heading west on 96 and then went towards East GR and I will say it was such a counterintuitive ramp! I was thinking "wait isn't there a light to get me to the right side of the bridge?" 

[joeDowntown]

4 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

I think the construction clutter really adds to the confusion. I got off at Cascade heading west on 96 and then went towards East GR and I will say it was such a counterintuitive ramp! I was thinking "wait isn't there a light to get me to the right side of the bridge?" 

I drove over there last weekend as I *WAS* in the wrong lane. The construction crew diverted the lanes but didn't bother to put barrels up yet (they got to it eventually). I was quite panicked when a big truck came straight at me.  

[arcturus]

Stop your whining, my office is NEXT to it!

[GRDadof3]

For those keeping score, the apartment project next to Spectrum Health at 3 Mile and the Beltline is still on, slated to start in a few months (spring 2017). 

[ant33]

How many units and stories will this be?

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, ant33 said:

How many units and stories will this be?

2 story buildings, I think 12 of them. 240 units maybe? 

 

[wingbert]

On 12/3/2016 at 11:15 PM, GRDadof3 said:

2 story buildings, I think 12 of them. 240 units maybe?

[GR8scott]

On 10/21/2016 at 3:49 PM, GRDadof3 said:

It gets people to the bottleneck faster and more efficiently. 

BTW, it appears as though 80,000 cars a day is about the magic number to jump from 4 lanes to 6 lanes. If that's the case, the EBL has a long way to go based on those traffic counts. Does it seem more congested because cars are going slower on the EBL? People can't remember where the entrance to Meijer is? 

 

In regards to the traffic counts warranting expansion, theres got to be some difference between an expressway and highway with traffic lights, lower speed limits, left and right turns ect. EBL seems long overdue to be widened and if it were on the east side, it would have been 8 lanes years ago

[joeDowntown]

Went into the Grand Rapids Township office today and saw this site plan for the apartment complex on Knapp, just west of 196:

[SEsideguy]

OMG!!!

[wingbert]

Nice name.  I'm not sure if there's exactly a clear boundary for what constitutes "Forest Hills", but this location is clearly outside it. And calling it a "Preserve"???  What exactly is this run-of-the-mill apartment complex preserving?  Mediocrity?