Highway and Road Construction Updates

[GR_Urbanist]

I'm really digging that first idea for Wealthy St.. Never understood how something like that would have been pulled off, but it looks like they nailed it!

[HavingAhoot]

 

This is the answer I want(ed).

[Zads]

14 minutes ago, HavingAhoot said:

 

This is the answer I want(ed).

Agreed. I used to drive this daily before I moved to the west side. An overpass above Wealthy is EXACTLY what needs to be done. It allows walkability to be cohesive. Please let this be the one they choose.

[joeDowntown]

13 minutes ago, HavingAhoot said:

 

This is the answer I want(ed).

Agreed. Wealthy as an underpass is what I think is the best option. The other option still severs any connection between the east/west side of wealthy. 

it’s a very impressive an detailed report. Some really good ideas being presented. 

[Khorasaurus1]

I agree that having Wealthy go under 131 is the best option.

A couple other things from the renderings:

• It looks like the current northbound ramp to Cherry is going to be converted into a surface-level roadway running from Wealthy to Cherry.  So there would be one Wealthy/Cherry ramp from northbound 131. 
• There's still a southbound ramp from Century to 131 under the MLK overpass. Like a little secret entrance for those in the know.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Khorasaurus1

[arcturus]

48 minutes ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

• There's still a southbound ramp from Century to 131 under the MLK overpass. Like a little secret entrance for those in the know.

Just put pedal to the metal.  It's one of the shortest on-ramps I've experienced.

[MJLO]

Looks like a rebuild(finally) from Ann to 28th might be in the cards?

[Khorasaurus1]

2 hours ago, arcturus said:

Just put pedal to the metal.  It's one of the shortest on-ramps I've experienced.

It's possible when this is done that that ramp is the only thing preventing 131 from Schoolcraft to Cadillac from being numbered as an interstate. 

[Zads]

2 minutes ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

It's possible when this is done that that ramp is the only thing preventing 131 from Schoolcraft to Cadillac from being numbered as an interstate. 

Why is that the only thing preventing 131 from becoming an interstate? Are there other factors?

[Khorasaurus1]

43 minutes ago, Zads said:

Why is that the only thing preventing 131 from becoming an interstate? Are there other factors?

Well, the biggest factor is that it doesn't actually go all the way to Indianapolis, like I-67 was originally planned to do back in the 1950s. But it's also not an interstate standard road from 28th Street to I-196. This project will eliminate a lot of the aspects that don't meet interstate standards, like the lack of shoulders and short ramps, but will leave that little ramp in place.

It's highly unlikely to be re-numbered anyway, since that would cause confusion for no real purpose except to please road geeks. 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Khorasaurus1

[Jonesey]

I think if anything, Wealthy becoming at grade is definitely going to happen, even if GR has to foot the bill.  They already gave them $1m to look into it.   It's awesome that they are also considering reconnecting Logan and Graham.  I'm not loving that rendering of Wealthy remaining an overpass.  It looks like a mass of concrete that could flood at any moment like over on the east side

[Prankster]

4 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

Well, the biggest factor is that it doesn't actually go all the way to Indianapolis, like I-67 was originally planned to do back in the 1950s. 

Sorry if I’m misunderstanding your point, but I-96 only is in Michigan. I don’t think it has to cross into another state for it to be an interstate. 

[WMrapids]

10 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

There's still a southbound ramp from Century to 131 under the MLK overpass. Like a little secret entrance for those in the know.

In the rendering, yes it exists. But in the plans, Option B removes all exits from MLK Jr. Street. Not sure which I would prefer personally.

[MJLO]

8 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

Well, the biggest factor is that it doesn't actually go all the way to Indianapolis, like I-67 was originally planned to do back in the 1950s. But it's also not an interstate standard road from 28th Street to I-196. This project will eliminate a lot of the aspects that don't meet interstate standards, like the lack of shoulders and short ramps, but will leave that little ramp in place.

It's highly unlikely to be re-numbered anyway, since that would cause confusion for no real purpose except to please road geeks. 

Now that the US-31 interchange to I-94 is complete, the most likely route a hypothetical I-67 would take is along US-31 from Indy through South Bend.  Then up the lakeshore along I-196.   They are almost finished upgrading it to full freeway through Indiana.  

It could continue north along the current 131 until the freeway ends in Manton.   If they were ever ambitious enough they could complete I-67 into I-75 north of Gaylord and create a full international connection through the western side of MI down to Indy.  The part of Ontario that I-75 terminates at is quite sparsely populated.  I’m not sure there would be economic benefit in extending it though. 
 

 Completing 131 to I-80 would be beneficial, I’m just not sure it would ever be re-designated as I-67. 

[arcturus]

WOOD-TV interviewed the MDOT rep for the region who's quoted in saying the cost will be around $600 million.   Big price tag but I heard the state budget is receiving an extra 2 BILLION annually from online gaming revenue alone.  Wondering if someone can confirm this.   If true the budget pie slices are getting bigger.

 

[joeDowntown]

I saw this on social media, and my first thought was “how can this not be a great solution for 131/Wealthy street?!  

https://www.threads.net/@thecompletefacts/post/CzeClPtNx8C/?igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ==

[GR8scott]

This project surly has no bearing on weather or not 131 gets upgraded to interstate status and if/when that happens, I-67 seems logical to run from Indy through GR but there are many gaps that would have to be addressed first. Essentially the Elkhart bypass to Kzoo in order for that to happen but also more stretches along US31 in Indiana that have not been upgraded yet but have been working on for years. To the north, there are other examples of interstates ending but most likely need to be extended to TC or connect with I75 to be "complete". I believe interstates do get a much higher amount of federal funding and US highways like 131 are a dying bread so I do wonder if it makes sense for MDOT and INDOT to try to pursue it with a "Future I-67" route to eventually address the necessary gaps and secure more federal funding for projects like this?

On a side note, how does MDOT do more to eliminate the left lane exits and entrances that most states have done away with over the years? I wonder if it has something to do with the Michigan U-turns being so prevalent and its amazing there arent more left lane campers. 

[Khorasaurus1]

On 11/9/2023 at 10:39 PM, MJLO said:

Now that the US-31 interchange to I-94 is complete, the most likely route a hypothetical I-67 would take is along US-31 from Indy through South Bend.  Then up the lakeshore along I-196.   They are almost finished upgrading it to full freeway through Indiana.  

 

The US-31/I-94 interchange, while a huge improvement over what was there before, is not interstate standard. It's not even technically a freeway-to-freeway interchange. 

But I agree that routing is more likely for a future I-67 than upgrading 131 from Schoolcraft to the Indiana Toll Road.

[MJLO]

3 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

The US-31/I-94 interchange, while a huge improvement over what was there before, is not interstate standard. It's not even technically a freeway-to-freeway interchange. 

But I agree that routing is more likely for a future I-67 than upgrading 131 from Schoolcraft to the Indiana Toll Road.

Understood that it's not to full interstate standards. Though there are several examples where interchanges like that are incorporated into routes when an interstate changes to a new route designation (like flowing concurrent with I-94 for a mile).  So I think it's still feasible it could be designated as such even in it's current form.  Just look at how they are piecing together certain segments on the new I-69 route for examples. 

[draftpeppin]

Has anyone seen any solid updates on the traffic circle construction at Monroe and Coldbrook?

[draftpeppin]

On 11/18/2023 at 4:51 PM, draftpeppin said:

Has anyone seen any solid updates on the traffic circle construction at Monroe and Coldbrook?

Just found my own answer!

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/11/roundabout-project-near-downtown-grand-rapids-will-be-finished-before-2024.html

[GR8scott]

The part that bothers me about wealthy (aside from the left lane exits) is the trainstation wasnt build underneath it to bring all the way into the central transit center. Kind of a blown opportunity to have built a GRAND central station even something more on par with Kalamazoo. A ground level Wealthy would further separate the transit stations although they could build a tunnel or skywalk?? 

[Jonesey]

3 hours ago, GR8scott said:

The part that bothers me about wealthy (aside from the left lane exits) is the trainstation wasnt build underneath it to bring all the way into the central transit center. Kind of a blown opportunity to have built a GRAND central station even something more on par with Kalamazoo. A ground level Wealthy would further separate the transit stations although they could build a tunnel or skywalk?? 

I thought the whole reasoning behind that was there wasn't enough clearance under Wealthy?

[Raildude's dad]

The whole clearance issue is BS. Wealthy St was built to go over the RR tracks that served the freight ware houses behind the buildings on the east side of Grandville Ave. and the tracks  west of the old Union Station on the west side of Ionia.  The tracks were there long before 131 was built. The station was a thru station for the Pennsylvania and C&O Railroads and a dead end for the New York Central Railroad.

It wasn't a new  issue. I found some old drawings and a report from the 30's where the discussion / analysis  was whether to tunnel under the tracks or over the tracks.  The tracks remained at grade until the freeway was built in the 50's.