Michigan Notes

[Flint1979]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Oh wow...all this time I thought the I-94 East to I-196 North movement was cut off (that's what Google Maps led me to believe, anyway).

If that ramp is indeed open, I'll just go right through. It would be nice to see the work going on for the I-94/196 and US 31 reconstruction. Are they planning C/D ramps for the I-94/196 interchange?

[Great Lakes Roads]

Oh wow...all this time I thought the I-94 East to I-196 North movement was cut off (that's what Google Maps led me to believe, anyway).

If that ramp is indeed open, I'll just go right through. It would be nice to see the work going on for the I-94/196 and US 31 reconstruction. Are they planning C/D ramps for the I-94/196 interchange?

No, just an auxiliary lane (or a "weave lane" as MDOT calls it)...

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/i-route-construction/i196-bridge-rebuilding-grand-rapids

MDOT will be investing $100 million to replace a set of bridges on I-196 that go over the Grand River as well as Market Avenue in Grand Rapids.

It will start in October with the closure of eastbound 196 at Market Avenue through July 2024 with traffic being detoured onto M-6 eastbound and US 131 northbound. The completion date for this project is November 2025.

[GaryV]

If you detour on EB M-6 to NB US-131, you end up going EB on I-196 across the Grand River bridge. How does that detour work?

[nwi_navigator_1181]

If you detour on EB M-6 to NB US-131, you end up going EB on I-196 across the Grand River bridge. How does that detour work?

There are TWO Grand River crossings on I-196. The one affected by the closure is by the Market Street exit, about 5 miles south and west of US 131.

The Grand River bridge crossing downtown will not be affected. That crossing is good to go (that was actually worked on last year).

[Terry Shea]

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/i-route-construction/i196-bridge-rebuilding-grand-rapids

MDOT will be investing $100 million to replace a set of bridges on I-196 that go over the Grand River as well as Market Avenue in Grand Rapids.

It will start in October with the closure of eastbound 196 at Market Avenue through July 2024 with traffic being detoured onto M-6 eastbound and US 131 northbound. The completion date for this project is November 2025.

"Work begins this October with the closure of eastbound I-196 at Market Avenue. Eastbound I-196 will remain closed through July 2024 with traffic detoured onto eastbound M-6 to northbound US-131. The second phase of the project begins August 2024 with the closure of westbound I-196 at Market Avenue. During this phase, two lanes will be open in each direction on the new eastbound I-196 bridge."
Oh lovely!  Send a lot more traffic miles out of the way up US-131.  I guess 130,000+ vehicles a day isn't enough.  And aren't they going to begin work on the Wealthy St bridge project during this time frame?

[Terry Shea]

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/i-route-construction/i196-bridge-rebuilding-grand-rapids

MDOT will be investing $100 million to replace a set of bridges on I-196 that go over the Grand River as well as Market Avenue in Grand Rapids.

It will start in October with the closure of eastbound 196 at Market Avenue through July 2024 with traffic being detoured onto M-6 eastbound and US 131 northbound. The completion date for this project is November 2025.

"Work begins this October with the closure of eastbound I-196 at Market Avenue. Eastbound I-196 will remain closed through July 2024 with traffic detoured onto eastbound M-6 to northbound US-131. The second phase of the project begins August 2024 with the closure of westbound I-196 at Market Avenue. During this phase, two lanes will be open in each direction on the new eastbound I-196 bridge."
Oh lovely!  Send a lot more traffic miles out of the way up US-131.  I guess 130,000+ vehicles a day isn't enough.  And aren't they going to begin work on the Wealthy St bridge project during this time frame?

Never mind.  I gues the Wealthy St bridge project is quite a ways off yet.

[JREwing78]

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?


All suggestions welcome.

You could also just stay on M-140 and pick up I-196 in South Haven. Taking I-94 to US-131 works too. If I-69 and I-496 weren't under construction right now, I'd recommend I-94 -> I-69 -> US-127 -> I-75. Nobody's going to notice the drive time difference of any of those options.


I'm assuming your destination is east of Manistique, because otherwise enduring the Tri-State and I-94 into Milwaukee is ultimately faster.

[JoePCool14]

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/i-route-construction/i196-bridge-rebuilding-grand-rapids

MDOT will be investing $100 million to replace a set of bridges on I-196 that go over the Grand River as well as Market Avenue in Grand Rapids.

It will start in October with the closure of eastbound 196 at Market Avenue through July 2024 with traffic being detoured onto M-6 eastbound and US 131 northbound. The completion date for this project is November 2025.

That closure sounds miserable. I really hope I don't have to go in that direction anytime soon.

[bessertc]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

[Terry Shea]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

[Flint1979]

They don't even have you staying on M-55 the whole way. There is a bypass of Lake City that they include. They tell you to take M-55 to M-66 to Lotan Road to Vandermeulen Road back to M-55 then to US-127.

[Flint1979]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

[zzcarp]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

I've done the M-55 cutoff multiple times (including that Lake City bypass) to get from SW Michigan to the UP (and I found that "bypass" well before Waze would route me that way). I've found that faster than I-94 to I-69 to US 127, taking US 10 across to Claire, or going up to M-72.

Though it's been a few years since I've been on 131 north of Cadillac. Have they raised the speed limit on the two lane portion to 65, or are they only doing that in the UP?

[bessertc]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

Correct. US-131 north to M-72 east (technically east-southeast) to I-75 north is NOT advised. You're definitely going out of your way and M-72 generally has a decent amount of traffic as well. You're competing with traffic heading from greater Traverse City heading toward I-75 to head back toward the Tri-Cities, Flint and Metro Detroit areas. Best to be avoided.

[Flint1979]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

Correct. US-131 north to M-72 east (technically east-southeast) to I-75 north is NOT advised. You're definitely going out of your way and M-72 generally has a decent amount of traffic as well. You're competing with traffic heading from greater Traverse City heading toward I-75 to head back toward the Tri-Cities, Flint and Metro Detroit areas. Best to be avoided.

Well it's like 25 miles and you aren't going in the direction you want to be going in so that makes sense not to use M-72. Now using Alba Road to M-32 would be a better choice than using M-72 but still you would get caught up in the Gaylord area. Using US-10 to cut over adds a few more miles and is only 9 minutes longer.

[bessertc]

I've done the M-55 cutoff multiple times (including that Lake City bypass) to get from SW Michigan to the UP (and I found that "bypass" well before Waze would route me that way). I've found that faster than I-94 to I-69 to US 127, taking US 10 across to Claire, or going up to M-72.

Though it's been a few years since I've been on 131 north of Cadillac. Have they raised the speed limit on the two lane portion to 65, or are they only doing that in the UP?

Neither. There are a variety of 65 stretches in the Lower Peninsula. Unfortunately, the criteria for what got bumped up to 65 and what remains 55 is rather inane so, alas, US-131 from Manton to Petoskey remains posted at 55... which means traffic generally moves around 62—67, depending on a variety of factors.

My tried-and-true route to Gaylord, the Straits and/or the U.P., even though Google Maps or Waze will try to tell you it's 3—4 minutes longer than the M-55-to-US-127 route (which it never is), is to stay on US-131 to Alba and take C-42 to M-32 to I-75 at Gaylord. Even though traffic volumes on C-42 have definitely increased in the past decade or so, it's still the route I suggest to anyone that I don't dislike. Even with bypassing Lake City on the local roads, you can't pay me any amount of money to take M-55...

[Flint1979]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

I've done the M-55 cutoff multiple times (including that Lake City bypass) to get from SW Michigan to the UP (and I found that "bypass" well before Waze would route me that way). I've found that faster than I-94 to I-69 to US 127, taking US 10 across to Claire, or going up to M-72.

Though it's been a few years since I've been on 131 north of Cadillac. Have they raised the speed limit on the two lane portion to 65, or are they only doing that in the UP?

They probably have if it's rural enough. It's not only in the U.P. as there are several state highways in the northern Lower Peninsula that have a 65 mph speed limit. The most southern place I have seen a 65 mph speed limit is on M-65 but there could be a few other places I've missed that have it. M-65 has a 65 mph speed limit at it's southern terminus but US-23 between Au Gres and Omer doesn't it's only 55 mph.

[bessertc]

I've done the M-55 cutoff multiple times (including that Lake City bypass) to get from SW Michigan to the UP (and I found that "bypass" well before Waze would route me that way). I've found that faster than I-94 to I-69 to US 127, taking US 10 across to Claire, or going up to M-72.

Though it's been a few years since I've been on 131 north of Cadillac. Have they raised the speed limit on the two lane portion to 65, or are they only doing that in the UP?

They probably have if it's rural enough. It's not only in the U.P. as there are several state highways in the northern Lower Peninsula that have a 65 mph speed limit. The most southern place I have seen a 65 mph speed limit is on M-65 but there could be a few other places I've missed that have it. M-65 has a 65 mph speed limit at it's southern terminus but US-23 between Au Gres and Omer doesn't it's only 55 mph.

• http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/2017_Speed_Limit_Increases_Map.pdf

Above is a link to the 2017 Speed Limit Increase Map that MDOT put out. While you can see that M-37 actually beat out M-65 by a teeny little bit to be an even more southerly route that was bumped up to 65, it's easy to miss that M-231 was also raised from 55 to 65... although one could argue that it's not fair to count M-231, since it's a limited-access route already, while the others aren't. Anyway, hopefully this should answer the 55-to-65 questions...

[ChimpOnTheWheel]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

If you're going to the UP, here are a few suggestions:

My main suggestion would probably be to just stay on I-94 east, past I-196, until you hit US-131, then start heading north from the Kalamazoo area. (Adds about 12 minutes.)

As for cutting over to I-75 or US-127 from US-131...

I don't know man, I've only done that trip once with my family. We took US-131 to M-55 (not including the Lake City Bypass, we stayed on M-55) to US-127 to I-75.

I have a suggestion in mind, but I don't wanna give it away, cause looking at a map, it looks like a pretty good alternative that I'd like to keep to myself...

[Terry Shea]

The family and I are going back up to the UP at the end of this month, and I'm sure that the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 will still be closed by the time we hit the road. I know the official detour calls for traffic to pass I-196, go to M-140, and double back to I-196 via I-94 west.

I'm not the biggest fan of the "double back to go forward"  strategy, so I ask you in the know: should I follow the official detour, or is it quicker to use some connection of Red Arrow and M-63 to pick up I-196 from a connecting road up north?

All suggestions welcome.

It's the ramp from I-196 to I-94 east, the ramp from I-94 east to I-196 is still open. If it is closed at that point though there is an exit before M-140 which is Friday Road. Or get off at Napier and head east to Benton Center Road and make a left, and a right onto Red Arrow which will take you back to I-196.

I just did that very "detour" the weekend before last on my way back to Grand Rapids from Chicago: I-94, exit Napier, east to Benton Center, north to Red Arrow, east back to I-196/US-31. It's fine. The road quality is... meh. There are, I believe two or three four-way stops on Benton Center Rd and there's a stop when you turn right onto Red Arrow Hwy, but it wasn't bad. The worst part of the detour, for me, was that I and the five other cars I was behind were all following a large tanker truck that didn't get going more than 40 mph the entire time. 

While I, knowing the area quite well and still possessing a variety of "traditional" maps, know that's the best "local/unofficial" detour (probably, much to the chagrin of the local residents along the route!), it seems that's precisely the same route the primary mapping apps are also recommending as well (e.g. Google Maps, Waze, etc.), hence the numerous others doing the exact same thing and the large tanker truck leading us. That's probably one of my biggest pet peeves about the online mapping/routing apps–they can give away some of the best alternate detours. But, alternately, because of my mapping background and possessing the aforementioned traditional maps, I've found many a superior alternate route the online maps/apps have no clue about and, therefore have had them all to myself as well. So, it definitely goes both ways. (For example, as long as Google and Waze keep sending Grand Rapids-to-Mackinac Straits bound traffic off US-131 down M-55 over to US-127 and up I-75... that's fine with me!! You folks have fun slogging it along M-55 together. You can't pay me enough to take that route!!)

Really?  M-55?  Cutting over on M-72 @ Kalkaska would make more sense.

But then you are going SE toward Grayling so you are more less back tracking.

Correct. US-131 north to M-72 east (technically east-southeast) to I-75 north is NOT advised. You're definitely going out of your way and M-72 generally has a decent amount of traffic as well. You're competing with traffic heading from greater Traverse City heading toward I-75 to head back toward the Tri-Cities, Flint and Metro Detroit areas. Best to be avoided.

Well it's like 25 miles and you aren't going in the direction you want to be going in so that makes sense not to use M-72. Now using Alba Road to M-32 would be a better choice than using M-72 but still you would get caught up in the Gaylord area. Using US-10 to cut over adds a few more miles and is only 9 minutes longer.

I'm not buying the going out of your way/backtracking factor.  M-72 does slope ever so slightly a few miles to the south, but the 2-lane portion of US-131 angles to the east, more than making up for it.  Or at least it appears so on maps.  And I have never encountered much traffic along that portion of M-72 other than going through Grayling itself.

[JREwing78]

Here's how Google rates some of these route options, all starting at the end of the EBD to NBD on-ramp to US-131 from I-96, and ending at the Jamet St exit on I-75 just before the Mackinac Bridge.

ultimately, this was all about minimizing non-freeway mileage. The less time spent on slower 2-lane roads, the quicker. However, the difference between the shortest and longest trips were 27 miles and 22 minutes.

US-131 - M-46 -> M-66 -> M-20 -> S. Meridan Rd -> W Pickard Rd -> Bus US-127 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 239 miles in 3:25
Total mileage at 75 mph: 187 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 52 miles
4 towns
6 turns

US-131 -> US-10 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 243 miles in 3:22
Total mileage at 75 mph: 209 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 34 miles
1 town
1 turn + 1 long, slow on-ramp to US-127

LOWEST TIME!
US-131 -> M-55  -> Lake City bypass -> M-55 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 232 miles in 3:12
Total mileage at 75 mph - 197 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less - 34 miles
No towns
6 turns
(According to the Google, not taking the Lake City bypass costs you 1 minute.)

US-131 -> M-72 -> Bus I-75/M-93 -> I-75 - 236 miles in 3:29
Total mileage at 75 mph: 184 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 52 miles
3 towns
3 turns

US-131 -> Alba Rd -> M-32 -> I-75 - 224 miles in 3:25
Total mileage at 75 mph: 162 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 62 miles
6 towns
2 turns

US-131 -> US-31 -> I-75 - 216 miles in 3:34
Total mileage at 75 mph: 107 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 109 miles
9 towns
1 turn

Some interesting observations:
- US-10 is the worst for driving distance, but the time you're stuck at 55 is among the shortest. It's by far the simplest route to drive, and no worse for drive time than taking all manner of back roads.

Could a freeway extension of US-10 to US-131 make up the drive time difference between M-55? (Likely not - 243 miles at 75 mph without stopping would take 3:15, and doubtless an all-freeway US-10 would not shorten mileage much if at all).

- M-72 looks attractive on paper, but it's 4 miles farther than M-55 and costs you 16 minutes of drive time.

- Alba Rd/M-32 is 12 miles shorter than M-72, but you have to drive through Kalkaska, Mancelona, Alba, and Gaylord, so the Google only awards 4 minutes advantage over M-72.

- Google's estimate for staying on US-131 to US-31 is probably optimistic in summer. You're not getting through Petoskey that quickly.

[ChimpOnTheWheel]

Here's how Google rates some of these route options, all starting at the end of the EBD to NBD on-ramp to US-131 from I-96, and ending at the Jamet St exit on I-75 just before the Mackinac Bridge.

US-131 - M-46 -> M-66 -> M-20 -> S. Meridan Rd -> W Pickard Rd -> Bus US-127 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 239 miles in 3:25
Total mileage at 75 mph: 187 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 52 miles

Really?

I would rather stay on M-46 straight to US-127.

The route when modified into Google's Mapping System, says:

US-131 -> M-46 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 260 miles in 3:39

Total mileage at 70 mph: 12 miles
Total mileage at 75 mph: 205 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 43 miles

Is it a little longer? Yeah, probably, but you probably also make up a lot of the time with the 75 mph limit on US-127.

[Flint1979]

Here's how Google rates some of these route options, all starting at the end of the EBD to NBD on-ramp to US-131 from I-96, and ending at the Jamet St exit on I-75 just before the Mackinac Bridge.

US-131 - M-46 -> M-66 -> M-20 -> S. Meridan Rd -> W Pickard Rd -> Bus US-127 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 239 miles in 3:25
Total mileage at 75 mph: 187 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 52 miles

Really?

I would rather stay on M-46 straight to US-127.

The route when modified into Google's Mapping System, says:

US-131 -> M-46 -> US-127 -> I-75 - 260 miles in 3:39

Total mileage at 70 mph: 12 miles
Total mileage at 75 mph: 205 miles
Total mileage at 55 mph or less: 43 miles

Is it a little longer? Yeah, probably, but you probably also make up a lot of the time with the 75 mph limit on US-127.

M-46 curves to the south just east of M-66 and US-127 curves away from Mount Pleasant. It's 10 more miles and actually takes about 5 minutes longer even with the 75 mph speed limit on US-127.