Highway and Road Construction Updates

[thebeerqueer]

1 hour ago, GR_Urbanist said:

This is the one project that irratates me the most

I have family out there, and there is zero way to exit the highway at Hudsonville, much to my annoyance. The first time I ventured there during construction I had to drive clear out to Holland twp. Before I could turn around!

And I was clueless navigating the surface streets of Grandville, and Jenison until recently! Some parts of their road network make no logical sense and the signage is poor when you are trying to find your way to a highway on ramp.

As someone that makes the trip to and from Holland almost every day for work, I'm beyond irritated with this project.

FWIW, the Hudsonville exit is open if you come from M-6.

[Guest]

Looked like there was still a lot of work on the I-196 bridge today, I wonder if it will actually get done on time 

[joeDowntown]

Anyone know when the Westbound 196 @ East Beltline entrance will re-open? The bridge opening is great, but it doesn't do me any good until the Beltline ramp opens (except maybe reduce congestion on my alt routes)

Joe

[JoeSchmo]

4 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Anyone know when the Westbound 196 @ East Beltline entrance will re-open?

According the link below, it shows Oct 25 it will reopen for the winter.  But I think construction will resume next spring and finish Oct 2020.

https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/MiDrive/map#

 

[grandrollerz]

Mayor Bliss tweeted that the the bridge will be open Friday the 30th, it's looking good. 

[MJLO]

They had painted lines when I checked this morning.

 

[GRDadof3]

Not gonna lie, it's pretty dang sweet. I didn't get how it was going to improve flow but it does 

 

 

[MJLO]

Does anyone know when the entrance ramps off of Michigan will re-open again for the  west bound traffic? 

[JoeSchmo]

43 minutes ago, MJLO said:

Does anyone know when the entrance ramps off of Michigan will re-open again for the  west bound traffic? 

Looks like Ionia to WB 196 should open Fri. afternoon (9/6)

 

[GRLaker]

On 8/26/2019 at 10:03 AM, thebeerqueer said:

I-196 construction between Grandville and Hudsonville has been extended, again, this time until 09/30/2019. Originally expected to finish 08/15/2019. 

Is there any word on how it is that they're a month and a half behind schedule? It can't be weather related considering the lack of rain from July to now. There wasn't a lockout this year...Yet they're 6 weeks behind? This project has spilled over onto M6 for the entirety of this project as well. It goes down to 1 lane immediately after 8th Ave, which has resulted in traffic backups that sometimes extend out beyond Wilson. 

[thebeerqueer]

50 minutes ago, GRLaker said:

Is there any word on how it is that they're a month and a half behind schedule? It can't be weather related considering the lack of rain from July to now. There wasn't a lockout this year...Yet they're 6 weeks behind? This project has spilled over onto M6 for the entirety of this project as well. It goes down to 1 lane immediately after 8th Ave, which has resulted in traffic backups that sometimes extend out beyond Wilson. 

It looked like there were long stretches of time, at least a week or so, where there was no activity on this project. I'm not sure what that was all about but as someone who makes that commute almost daily, it was less than promising. 

[dadr]

8 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

It looked like there were long stretches of time, at least a week or so, where there was no activity on this project. I'm not sure what that was all about but as someone who makes that commute almost daily, it was less than promising. 

Maybe they had issues with availability of workers or equipment given the multiple large projects going on throughout the metro. 

[Raildude's dad]

Daughter says  I-196 WB is on the new pavement. Sorry no photos.

[GRDadof3]

20 hours ago, Raildude's dad said:

Daughter says  I-196 WB is on the new pavement. Sorry no photos.

I drove on it today. It's pretty nice, although they only have one lane open right now.  But it's really bizarre going "down" and under two bridges vs going up and over on the one bridge. It will be interesting to see how it does in the winter. The old way always got so icy at the far end of the bridge (west end) and cars were constantly sliding off at that spot. 

[Raildude's dad]

Watch for icy spots in the shade of the bridges. Sunny days below freezing, wet pavement will ice up in the shade. Let off the accelerator. As me how I know. Lost it under the College overpass in Feb of 1976. Went sideways, hooked my right front in the snowbank and rolled my wife's car onto the passenger side.  With her in the passenger side lol. No injures except for a bruised ego.

Daughter says they are ahead of schedule.

[GRDadof3]

27 minutes ago, Raildude's dad said:

Watch for icy spots in the shade of the bridges. Sunny days below freezing, wet pavement will ice up in the shade. Let off the accelerator. As me how I know. Lost it under the College overpass in Feb of 1976. Went sideways, hooked my right front in the snowbank and rolled my wife's car onto the passenger side.  With her in the passenger side lol. No injures except for a bruised ego.

Daughter says they are ahead of schedule.

Wow! Glad everyone was OK! 

Good to hear on the progress! I noticed when they switched to the Westbound permanent lanes being open they wasted no time in tearing out the temporary crossover stuff. I think it was the same day even. 

[draftpeppin]

Does anyone know the various steps of the 96/196/EB work?  I'm a little confused.

Here it says it will be done in late October of this year:

https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/MiDrive/map

Here it says October of NEXT year:

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9621_11008-480166--,00.html

It just doesn't seem like it's written very clearly anywhere, even in the news media websites.

I'll certainly be glad when there's no longer a bottleneck of one single lane carrying all of both 96 and 196 traffic eastbound!

[GRDadof3]

11 hours ago, draftpeppin said:

Does anyone know the various steps of the 96/196/EB work?  I'm a little confused.

Here it says it will be done in late October of this year:

https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/MiDrive/map

Here it says October of NEXT year:

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9621_11008-480166--,00.html

It just doesn't seem like it's written very clearly anywhere, even in the news media websites.

I'll certainly be glad when there's no longer a bottleneck of one single lane carrying all of both 96 and 196 traffic eastbound!

The entire project is supposed to take until Fall of 2020 (next year). But it's being done in phases and I think much of the Westbound side will be done this October. However, it's being increased to 3 lanes going Westbound all the way to Fuller. Not sure when they're adding that third lane. I believe it requires widening the bridge over Plymouth? 

[draftpeppin]

Thanks for the info! Do you know about eastbound? That's what's getting me every morning. 96 is closed and there's a bottleneck where 196 goes past east Beltline and gets back to 96. Single lane handling 196 and 96 at that choke point eastbound.

Google maps said it was hugely backed up this morning so I had to take Fulton to Cascade to 96. Took me 45 minutes to reach the highway. 

[EEKris]

Tell me about it.  All of these projects has created crazy traffic on all ends of town.  

https://fox17online.com/2019/03/15/mdot-changes-plans-for-reconstruction-of-part-of-i-196/

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/I-96_I-196_Interchange_Open_House_635592_7.pdf

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/I-196_Interchange_Reconfiguration_Color_655047_7.pdf

That last one shows EB I-96 closure at Leonard through October '19, so if they're on schedule it should be opening up soon?

 

 

 

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, EEKris said:

Tell me about it.  All of these projects has created crazy traffic on all ends of town.  

https://fox17online.com/2019/03/15/mdot-changes-plans-for-reconstruction-of-part-of-i-196/

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/I-96_I-196_Interchange_Open_House_635592_7.pdf

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/I-196_Interchange_Reconfiguration_Color_655047_7.pdf

That last one shows EB I-96 closure at Leonard through October '19, so if they're on schedule it should be opening up soon?

 

 

 

In order for them to re-open I-96 Eastbound at Leonard to connect with I-96 at the Beltline, using the new bridge they just built, it seems like they have a lot of work to do.  But it sounds like they're on time. But holy christ having the highway closed at Leonard is wreaking havoc on every side street, from Leonard to Knapp to the Beltline to Grand River to Pettis, you name it. 

9 hours ago, draftpeppin said:

Thanks for the info! Do you know about eastbound? That's what's getting me every morning. 96 is closed and there's a bottleneck where 196 goes past east Beltline and gets back to 96. Single lane handling 196 and 96 at that choke point eastbound.

Google maps said it was hugely backed up this morning so I had to take Fulton to Cascade to 96. Took me 45 minutes to reach the highway. 

That whole section is going to be split into an "express lane (I-96 Eastbound)" and a "local traffic lane (East Beltline exit)" so I don't know if any major improvements will be seen this year.  Don't know the deets for sure.  But I have to say if they lengthened and softened that one lane going eastbound beyond the Beltline it might certainly minimize people coming to a COMPLETE STOP through it. That's what slows everybody down. 

[GRDadof3]

I am happy (?) to report that the new fancy on-ramp at Ionia/Michigan Street to take you Westbound on I-196 is now open. They were putting up the traffic lights at North Division at the new intersection yesterday, so not sure if that part is open, but the onramp from Ionia is open. 

[walker]

On 3/8/2019 at 6:23 PM, GRDadof3 said:

I talked with a  Republican legislator friend today and the mood in Lansing is optimistic that new funding will be figured out for roads. It won't be the big bogged down fight from 2016/2017, because everyone agrees that these priorities are "underfunded" currently. It's highly doubtful that a $.45 gas tax will pass though. I still think a 1 cent sales tax increase mixed with some kind of gas tax increase would be good. And should sales tax charged on gas sales go to roads? Right now, like all sales tax, it goes to the general fund. 

GRDadof3, have you talked to your legislator friend lately?  What's he say now?

[GRDadof3]

On 9/19/2019 at 8:51 PM, walker said:

GRDadof3, have you talked to your legislator friend lately?  What's he say now?

It's a she. And no I haven't seen her in a few months. 

[thebeerqueer]

As of Friday, one lane in each direction on I-196 between Grandville and Hudsonville.