I-94 widening

[_Demote]

The stretch of I-94 from Benton Harbor Michigan to Ann Arbor Michigan is only 2 lanes wide. If anyone has traveled this stretch of I-94, they probably agree that there is too much traffic for 2 lanes. I think that they should make it 3 lanes. I would love to hear your opinions about this topic .

[rawmustard]

The stretch of I-94 from Benton Harbor Michigan to Ann Arbor Michigan is only 2 lanes wide. If anyone has traveled this stretch of I-94, they probably agree that there is too much traffic for 2 lanes. I think that they should make it 3 lanes. I would love to hear your opinions about this topic .

It's an oft-discussed topic. MDOT just simply doesn't have the funding to widen except in certain spots. The parts which have been able to be widened (Portage, west of Ann Arbor) are helpful. At least any bridge reconstructions take six-laning into account, even though no one has any idea on when that will be.

[mvak36]

Long term, I think I-94 from Madison, WI all the way to Ann Arbor, MI should be three lanes. I'm not sure how much work that would mean for each of the respective states. And there is that lane drop on the Edens spur as discussed on the other thread.

[Joe The Dragon]

Long term, I think I-94 from Madison, WI all the way to Ann Arbor, MI should be three lanes. I'm not sure how much work that would mean for each of the respective states. And there is that lane drop on the Edens spur as discussed on the other thread.

Just move on to I-294 the main flow.

[mvak36]

Just move on to I-294 the main flow.

Yes, you are right. Totally forgot about that.

[hobsini2]

Long term, I agree with mvak. 6 lanes from Madison to Ann Arbor and Detroit. In the short term, I could see 6 lanes on 94 from Kalamazoo to I-69 since that is the direct way to get to Lansing. Politicians don't think much about it until it affects them.

[captkirk_4]

Long term, I agree with mvak. 6 lanes from Madison to Ann Arbor and Detroit. In the short term, I could see 6 lanes on 94 from Kalamazoo to I-69 since that is the direct way to get to Lansing. Politicians don't think much about it until it affects them.

Once you turn north onto I69 there is very little traffic, but I94 from Benton Harbor to I69 is a sardine can. Worst is when one truck decides to pass another truck at 1/10th of a mph faster speed and a whole column of traffic in the left lane waits 5 minutes for the truck to finish the pass. Are their engines that weak they can't pass any quicker? Or do the companies have some kind of regulator maximizing their top speed?

[mvak36]

Once you turn north onto I69 there is very little traffic, but I94 from Benton Harbor to I69 is a sardine can. Worst is when one truck decides to pass another truck at 1/10th of a mph faster speed and a whole column of traffic in the left lane waits 5 minutes for the truck to finish the pass. Are their engines that weak they can't pass any quicker? Or do the companies have some kind of regulator maximizing their top speed?

If I had a nickel for every time I've seen that on I-70 between KC and STL.......

[dfwmapper]

Once you turn north onto I69 there is very little traffic, but I94 from Benton Harbor to I69 is a sardine can. Worst is when one truck decides to pass another truck at 1/10th of a mph faster speed and a whole column of traffic in the left lane waits 5 minutes for the truck to finish the pass. Are their engines that weak they can't pass any quicker? Or do the companies have some kind of regulator maximizing their top speed?

The latter. Like every other modern vehicle, trucks have a computer that controls just about everything, and many of them have a speed limiter available as an option. Whoever is paying for fuel will often set that to 65 or 70mph just to cut down on the costs, because large trucks are even worse than cars when it comes to loss of fuel efficiency as speed increases. If your car used 1/3 more fuel going 75 than it did 65, you'd probably do it too.

[JREwing78]

I-94 definitely warrants 6-laning.  I would elect to widen it from Kalamazoo to I-69 and Jackson to Ann Arbor first, then widen the Benton Harbor to Kalamazoo stretch and I-69 to Jackson stretch afterwards.

I-96 between Grand Rapids and Howell warrants it too, though the heaver truck traffic on I-94 would seem to dictate the priority of which sections get widened first.

I'd gladly pay an extra 10-20 cents in gas tax to get it done.