Interstate 196 Descriptions
2024-04-24
Roadnow
North
Michigan:
The route begins by mile numbers just north of Benton Harbor in Berrien County. As it travels north it does the usual long haul road of a few bends to keep the drivers awake. Overall it bypasses the few cities that it comes across along the shore of Lake Michigan. Before it reaches Ottawa County the US 31 route gets removed at the partial interchange south of Holland. From there it travels on a northeast routing through Ottawa County bypassing the cities of Holland, Zeeland, and Hudsonville by a wide margin. The only jog that goes fairly northerly is when it comes close to Chicago Drive on the east side of Zeeland. That is also when Business Loop I-196 begins. As it continues northeast it approaches M-6. After crossing into Kent County it straddles the east side part of the border with Ottawa County and goes north for a few miles until it hits Chicago Drive interchange. From there it travels again with a northeastern path until it crosses the Grand River after being on its side from Chicago Drive. At this point it heads due north to the Lake Michigan Avenue/M-45 interchange. After a short northeast adjustment of the route it travels due east through downtown Grand Rapids and the Medical Corridor to its terminus with the partial interchange with Interstate 96.
History
Previous designation
The Interstate 196 designation was originally planned for a spur route from Grand Rapids to Muskegon. The first segment of freeway built was a relocated section of US 16 near Coopersville and Marne. The freeway opened at the end of 1957, and the first markers for I-196 were erected in 1960. The full Grand Rapids Muskegon freeway was completed and opened to traffic in 1961. At this time, I-96 is planned to run from Grand Rapids south to Benton Harbor. In late 1963 the two designations were flipped west of Grand Rapids. The previously completed I-196 is redesignated as a part of I-96 and completed freeway segments south of Grand Rapids are redesignated as I-196.
Current designation
In late 1961, a section of freeway along US 31 was opened between I-94 and the Berrien Van Buren county line. This section was originally designated as part of I-96/US 31. After the designation switch, additional freeway mileage is opened from the northern end of I-196 to Douglas, and from Saugatuck north to Holland as I-196/US 31. The bypass of SaugatuckDouglas was opened the next year, linking the two sections of freeway. An additional section of freeway was opened between Grandville through downtown Grand Rapids to meet I-96 at the end of 1964. M-21 was moved to the freeway from its previous surface-street routing.
The previous routing of M-21 was created as Business M-21 (BUS M-21) when M-21 was moved to the freeway. In 1972, this business loop was truncated in the middle, creating a business spur. East of US 131, BUS M-21 was turned back to local control and removed from the state highway system. The final link in the freeway was completed in 1973, completing I-196 for a second time. The HollandGrandville segment was opened, and BUS M-21 was redesignated BS I-196 between Wyoming and Grand Rapids. The signs were removed from the segment of the business spur in Grandville, making it an unsigned highway. In 1974 through 1976, a business loop for Holland was created along Chicago Drive in Zeeland into downtown Holland. The signs were removed from Chicago Drive between Zeeland and Grandville, making that stretch of road another unsigned state highway.
The unsigned highways were slowly turned back to local control. In 1982, sections of Chicago Drive in Grandville were turned back with the remainder in 1985. In 2007, the remaining unsigned highway was redesignated M-121 (Michigan highway) between BL I-196 in Zeeland and I-196 on the JenisonGrandville border.
Future
MDOT currently has two studies underway to improve traffic flow. The first one is nearly completed and construction is planned for 2007-08. The end result of the study is a new exit planned for immediately before the Grandville/Jenison Chicago Drive exit. The exit is needed to alleviate traffic backups for motorists connecting via Chicago Drive to Baldwin Street, which involves crossing heavily-used CSX railroad tracks. The new exit puts traffic directly onto Baldwin Street, which would allow traffic to avoid crossing the grade level CSX railroad tracks. The start date for this project has been stated as spring of 2008 with a finish date of fall of 2009. According to the latest from MDOT the change will involve reconstructing Baldwin Ave with 5 lanes of traffic and adding a right turn lane to Main St. From Mill St to 196 the current Baldwin Ave will be replaced with a more eastwest street. At the Grandville Waste Treatment plant more changes occur. This involves moving the current entrance to one that bridges over Rush Creek. This will allow for the ramps to be built properly and without traffic from the plant causing issues since the current plant entrance is located at the end of the future ramp. Another change will put a cul-de-sac at the end of Old M-21 before Rush Creek. As a result the bridge over the creek will be removed along with the intersection of it with Baldwin St. The only other change is at the intersection of Main St and Baldwin. This involves a new alignment of the intersection with property taken from the Jenison Baptist Temple. On 196 itself two new bridges will be built to take the onramp from Baldwin. Furthermore to accept the new weave merge lane from Chicago Dr to 28th Street two new bridges will be built over Buck Creek and the CSX railroad tracks.
The other study involves the stretch from US 131 to its connection with I-96. Among the recommendations are: a third lane from the I-96 interchange to US 131; a weave merge lane from Fuller Avenue to Division Avenue; new junctions from eastbound I-96 to westbound I-196, and from eastbound I-196 to westbound I-96; adjustments to exit ramps and local roads; and additional reconfiguration of the M-37/M-44 (East Beltline) interchange area. According to MDOT in the planning part of the website the Federal Government found a Finding of No Significant Impact in December 2005. As such the department has decided that a 2010 start date will be used for this project.
The route begins by mile numbers just north of Benton Harbor in Berrien County. As it travels north it does the usual long haul road of a few bends to keep the drivers awake. Overall it bypasses the few cities that it comes across along the shore of Lake Michigan. Before it reaches Ottawa County the US 31 route gets removed at the partial interchange south of Holland. From there it travels on a northeast routing through Ottawa County bypassing the cities of Holland, Zeeland, and Hudsonville by a wide margin. The only jog that goes fairly northerly is when it comes close to Chicago Drive on the east side of Zeeland. That is also when Business Loop I-196 begins. As it continues northeast it approaches M-6. After crossing into Kent County it straddles the east side part of the border with Ottawa County and goes north for a few miles until it hits Chicago Drive interchange. From there it travels again with a northeastern path until it crosses the Grand River after being on its side from Chicago Drive. At this point it heads due north to the Lake Michigan Avenue/M-45 interchange. After a short northeast adjustment of the route it travels due east through downtown Grand Rapids and the Medical Corridor to its terminus with the partial interchange with Interstate 96.
History
Previous designation
The Interstate 196 designation was originally planned for a spur route from Grand Rapids to Muskegon. The first segment of freeway built was a relocated section of US 16 near Coopersville and Marne. The freeway opened at the end of 1957, and the first markers for I-196 were erected in 1960. The full Grand Rapids Muskegon freeway was completed and opened to traffic in 1961. At this time, I-96 is planned to run from Grand Rapids south to Benton Harbor. In late 1963 the two designations were flipped west of Grand Rapids. The previously completed I-196 is redesignated as a part of I-96 and completed freeway segments south of Grand Rapids are redesignated as I-196.
Current designation
In late 1961, a section of freeway along US 31 was opened between I-94 and the Berrien Van Buren county line. This section was originally designated as part of I-96/US 31. After the designation switch, additional freeway mileage is opened from the northern end of I-196 to Douglas, and from Saugatuck north to Holland as I-196/US 31. The bypass of SaugatuckDouglas was opened the next year, linking the two sections of freeway. An additional section of freeway was opened between Grandville through downtown Grand Rapids to meet I-96 at the end of 1964. M-21 was moved to the freeway from its previous surface-street routing.
The previous routing of M-21 was created as Business M-21 (BUS M-21) when M-21 was moved to the freeway. In 1972, this business loop was truncated in the middle, creating a business spur. East of US 131, BUS M-21 was turned back to local control and removed from the state highway system. The final link in the freeway was completed in 1973, completing I-196 for a second time. The HollandGrandville segment was opened, and BUS M-21 was redesignated BS I-196 between Wyoming and Grand Rapids. The signs were removed from the segment of the business spur in Grandville, making it an unsigned highway. In 1974 through 1976, a business loop for Holland was created along Chicago Drive in Zeeland into downtown Holland. The signs were removed from Chicago Drive between Zeeland and Grandville, making that stretch of road another unsigned state highway.
The unsigned highways were slowly turned back to local control. In 1982, sections of Chicago Drive in Grandville were turned back with the remainder in 1985. In 2007, the remaining unsigned highway was redesignated M-121 (Michigan highway) between BL I-196 in Zeeland and I-196 on the JenisonGrandville border.
Future
MDOT currently has two studies underway to improve traffic flow. The first one is nearly completed and construction is planned for 2007-08. The end result of the study is a new exit planned for immediately before the Grandville/Jenison Chicago Drive exit. The exit is needed to alleviate traffic backups for motorists connecting via Chicago Drive to Baldwin Street, which involves crossing heavily-used CSX railroad tracks. The new exit puts traffic directly onto Baldwin Street, which would allow traffic to avoid crossing the grade level CSX railroad tracks. The start date for this project has been stated as spring of 2008 with a finish date of fall of 2009. According to the latest from MDOT the change will involve reconstructing Baldwin Ave with 5 lanes of traffic and adding a right turn lane to Main St. From Mill St to 196 the current Baldwin Ave will be replaced with a more eastwest street. At the Grandville Waste Treatment plant more changes occur. This involves moving the current entrance to one that bridges over Rush Creek. This will allow for the ramps to be built properly and without traffic from the plant causing issues since the current plant entrance is located at the end of the future ramp. Another change will put a cul-de-sac at the end of Old M-21 before Rush Creek. As a result the bridge over the creek will be removed along with the intersection of it with Baldwin St. The only other change is at the intersection of Main St and Baldwin. This involves a new alignment of the intersection with property taken from the Jenison Baptist Temple. On 196 itself two new bridges will be built to take the onramp from Baldwin. Furthermore to accept the new weave merge lane from Chicago Dr to 28th Street two new bridges will be built over Buck Creek and the CSX railroad tracks.
The other study involves the stretch from US 131 to its connection with I-96. Among the recommendations are: a third lane from the I-96 interchange to US 131; a weave merge lane from Fuller Avenue to Division Avenue; new junctions from eastbound I-96 to westbound I-196, and from eastbound I-196 to westbound I-96; adjustments to exit ramps and local roads; and additional reconfiguration of the M-37/M-44 (East Beltline) interchange area. According to MDOT in the planning part of the website the Federal Government found a Finding of No Significant Impact in December 2005. As such the department has decided that a 2010 start date will be used for this project.