Michigan Notes

[Henry]

I hope that this is NOT what MDOT has decided for an interchange design for the future interchange with I-94 and U.S. 31 where the current I-94 BL interchange (exit 33) is in St. Joseph.

Article:
https://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/open-house-on-u-s-extension-scheduled/article_9d7deb49-bb80-5836-ab20-6fde4495ccb0.html

EDIT: Fixed the image link.

BTW what is with the interchange on US-31 to the west of this planned interchange on Crystal Avenue?  From the air it looks like a standard diamond interchange, but it's not grade separated.  I guess this is really a jughandle?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1190914,-86.4176723,390m/data=!3m1!1e3

Yes, Streetview proved it.

[JREwing78]

BTW what is with the interchange on US-31 to the west of this planned interchange on Crystal Avenue?  From the air it looks like a standard diamond interchange, but it's not grade separated.  I guess this is really a jughandle?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1190914,-86.4176723,390m/data=!3m1!1e3

I can only assume MDOT had future plans to make it a grade-separated interchange, but later decided against it. With the level of traffic it currently gets, it could be converted to a traditional at-grade intersection, and probably doesn't even need stoplights.

Benton Harbor has roughly half the population now that it did in the 1960s, when this was built.

[codeGR]

As part of the US-31 relocation project, MDOT is proposing to "right size" I-94 BL from a divided highway to an undivided highway, remove the Euclid Ave bridge over I-94 BL and replace with at-grade intersection, as well as reconfigure the Crystal Ave intersection into a possible roundabout or more traditional at-grade intersection.

[mgk920]

BTW what is with the interchange on US-31 to the west of this planned interchange on Crystal Avenue?  From the air it looks like a standard diamond interchange, but it's not grade separated.  I guess this is really a jughandle?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1190914,-86.4176723,390m/data=!3m1!1e3

I can only assume MDOT had future plans to make it a grade-separated interchange, but later decided against it. With the level of traffic it currently gets, it could be converted to a traditional at-grade intersection, and probably doesn't even need stoplights.

Benton Harbor has roughly half the population now that it did in the 1960s, when this was built.

Seeing as the munis in that area each cover such a small land area, how is the metro area in total (mainly Saint Joseph, Benton Harbor, Saint Joseph Township and Benton Township as though they were all one city) doing?

And yes, I agree with MDOT in this proposed downgrading.  I've never liked how they did a lot of these mid-sized city freeway spurs back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mike

[Stephane Dumas]

As part of the US-31 relocation project, MDOT is proposing to "right size" I-94 BL from a divided highway to an undivided highway, remove the Euclid Ave bridge over I-94 BL and replace with at-grade intersection, as well as reconfigure the Crystal Ave intersection into a possible roundabout or more traditional at-grade intersection.

I would had keeped divided but with a narrow median from Crystal Avenue to Euclid Ave and go with the roundabout option along with the addition of a bicycle path along the ROW.

[rawmustard]

Seeing as the munis in that area each cover such a small land area, how is the metro area in total (mainly Saint Joseph, Benton Harbor, Saint Joseph Township and Benton Township as though they were all one city) doing?

The Niles-Benton Harbor MSA (which is basically Berrien County) has a total of 156,813. Based on the latest estimates, the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph combined would be less than 19,000, and the two townships you mention add up to less than 25,000. So that's less than 30% of the county as a whole.

And yes, I agree with MDOT in this proposed downgrading.  I've never liked how they did a lot of these mid-sized city freeway spurs back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Those were just products of their time, when the prevailing thought was that traffic counts would only ever increase.

[JREwing78]

Seeing as the munis in that area each cover such a small land area, how is the metro area in total (mainly Saint Joseph, Benton Harbor, Saint Joseph Township and Benton Township as though they were all one city) doing?

The Niles-Benton Harbor MSA (which is basically Berrien County) has a total of 156,813. Based on the latest estimates, the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph combined would be less than 19,000, and the two townships you mention add up to less than 25,000. So that's less than 30% of the county as a whole.

Berrien County is roughly the same population now as it was in the 1960s. It had rapidly grown with the fortunes of Whirlpool, Studebaker (in neighboring South Bend), and other manufacturing interests. That has fallen off over time, but tourism and retirees from Chicago have partially counteracted population loss from the loss in manufacturing. A lot of the highways built in the '50s and '60s (US-12/M-60 Niles bypass, US-31, BL I-94) were anticipating continued population growth that never materialized. Had Berrien County continued on the same population growth track, US-31 would've likely been finished decades ago.

[NWI_Irish96]

Population figures for Berrien County can be misleading, with a large number of Chicagoans owning second homes and spending much of the summer there. 

[JREwing78]

M-231 at Lincoln St near Grand Haven is getting new signals with technology that "extends the yellow signal for a vehicle it detects is not slowing fast enough".

The not-a-traffic-engineer layperson I am scratches my head at that explanation. Why not just extend the red phase for cross traffic until the intersection is clear? If people keep stuffing the intersection during the yellow phase, could they extend that yellow light indefinitely?

I'm sure there's a better explanation or strategy here that isn't encouraging drivers to run yellow lights. But this article doesn't describe that.

Signal at Lincoln, M-231 features new technology
https://www.grandhaventribune.com/Transportation/2019/07/20/Signal-at-Lincoln-and-M-231-features-new-technology

On a side note, this traffic signal on a 65 mph 2-lane setup seems awfully rare in Michigan. There is one at M-65 and M-55 near Whittemore, and at M-65's terminus at US-23 - though the county road south of US-23 at this intersection has an (unposted) 55 mph limit.

It's also unclear if 65 mph is legal at M-104 near Nunica, though one would be hard pressed to achieve 65 between the off-ramp from I-96 and the light at M-104. Though, at least of the last Google Street View image, it appears no signage is in place saying you can't drive 65mph NBD on M-231 though a green light. https://goo.gl/maps/SKLFZdDZbbQMsAUN6

[pianocello]

M-231 at Lincoln St near Grand Haven is getting new signals with technology that "extends the yellow signal for a vehicle it detects is not slowing fast enough".

The not-a-traffic-engineer layperson I am scratches my head at that explanation. Why not just extend the red phase for cross traffic until the intersection is clear? If people keep stuffing the intersection during the yellow phase, could they extend that yellow light indefinitely?

I don't think so. The article mentions "dilemma zone technology", which refers to the area after which it's safe to stop, but before which it's possible to pass through in time. In other words, any vehicle caught within this "dilemma zone" when the light turns yellow is screwed, as they will either run the red light or come to a stop in the middle of the intersection.

From what I can tell by skimming the article, the technology will extend the yellow light if it detects a vehicle within that zone. As it happens, the sentence you quoted (their words, not yours. I bolded for emphasis) is misleading in that regard, as the extended yellow inherently assumes the vehicle will decide not to stop.

I'm not sure how that's going to work, though, as the dilemma zone can be different for every vehicle. Maybe someone with more experience in the field can weigh in?

[codeGR]

It's also unclear if 65 mph is legal at M-104 near Nunica, though one would be hard pressed to achieve 65 between the off-ramp from I-96 and the light at M-104. Though, at least of the last Google Street View image, it appears no signage is in place saying you can't drive 65mph NBD on M-231 though a green light. https://goo.gl/maps/SKLFZdDZbbQMsAUN6

Looking at the signage, it looks like M-231 terminates at M-104.

[dfilpus]

It's also unclear if 65 mph is legal at M-104 near Nunica, though one would be hard pressed to achieve 65 between the off-ramp from I-96 and the light at M-104. Though, at least of the last Google Street View image, it appears no signage is in place saying you can't drive 65mph NBD on M-231 though a green light. https://goo.gl/maps/SKLFZdDZbbQMsAUN6
On the exit ramp from I-96 to M-231, there are shields for M-231 South and TO MI-104 indicating that M-231 extends up to the exit ramp.

Looking at the signage, it looks like M-231 terminates at M-104.

[codeGR]

I did notice that as well. However, the signs on M-104, east and west, don't show M-231 extending to the north, as well as the sign on northbound M-231 when approaching M-104 that says the route is ending. I would be curious to see what MDOT says. I noticed that the Ottawa County GIS shows this stretch just as 120th Ave, but on MI Drive it shows it as M-231.

[ce929wax]

I saw new M-343 signs on Gull Rd today.  If this is what our governor means by "fix the damn roads", color me unimpressed.  The routing makes no sense.

[paulthemapguy]

I saw new M-343 signs on Gull Rd today.  If this is what our governor means by "fix the damn roads", color me unimpressed.  The routing makes no sense.

I could never be able to stress enough how much I completely agree with this.  What in hell's toilet were they thinking?

[Flint1979]

I don't at all understand the reason for rerouting M-43 in Kalamazoo County. And the even dumber M-343 along Full Road as already mentioned don't understand that either. MDOT does some strange things.

[rawmustard]

I don't at all understand the reason for rerouting M-43 in Kalamazoo County. And the even dumber M-343 along Full Road as already mentioned don't understand that either. MDOT does some strange things.

Even with the turning back of pretty much all of the streets in downtown Kalamazoo, MDOT thinking they need to keep M-43 continuous seemed rather silly to me.

[paulthemapguy]

I don't at all understand the reason for rerouting M-43 in Kalamazoo County. And the even dumber M-343 along Full Road as already mentioned don't understand that either. MDOT does some strange things.

Even with the turning back of pretty much all of the streets in downtown Kalamazoo, MDOT thinking they need to keep M-43 continuous seemed rather silly to me.

This might be a fictional highways post, but I always thought it strange that M-43 has two east-west segments on totally different latitudes, joined by a long north-south segment.  M-43 should have been two or three different routes to begin with.  The section west of Kalamazoo should have the same number as M-96 (call that one M-43, because 96 is way too close to I-96).  The northern east-west segment can be a western extension of M-59.  Kalamazoo north to Hastings can have a different number (M-87 maybe?).

My feelings about M-46 are very similar.  Why the big jog?

[nwi_navigator_1181]

I hope that this is NOT what MDOT has decided for an interchange design for the future interchange with I-94 and U.S. 31 where the current I-94 BL interchange (exit 33) is in St. Joseph.

Article:
https://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/open-house-on-u-s-extension-scheduled/article_9d7deb49-bb80-5836-ab20-6fde4495ccb0.html

EDIT: Fixed the image link.

Late to the party, but I am not a fan of this. For one, the I-94 west to US 31 south ramp should at least be a low-speed flyover. The bigger issue is that the left turn from I-94 BL to I-94 technically takes away the freeway aspect of US 31. It reminds me of the I-39/90/94 and Wisconsin 78 interchange near Portage, with the difference being that the left turn from Wis 78 north to I-90/94 west is before/after I-39 traffic transitions to/from the mainline.

I’m glad there’s some actual work in place to fill that infamous US 31 gap; I just hope they consider revisiting the interchange when it’s closer to construction time.

For those in the Grand Rapids area, how is the I-96/196 and Beltline interchange project progressing?

[mgk920]

If I had my way, including enough additional cash to do it, I'd feed existing BL I-94 from the west into Highland Ave to the east as a major surface street and 'piggyback' the US 31 <-> I-94 freeway-to-freeway interchange on top of it, in a manner like what WisDOT is now doing at the I-39/90/I-43/WI 81 Milwaukee Rd interchange in Beloit, WI or recently did at the I-41/WI 29/32/Shawano Ave interchange in the Green Bay, WI area.

I've never liked instances where major local streets feed directly into full freeways and vice-versa at the edge of town.

Mike

[wanderer2575]

A few years after implementing a "flex route" system (where the left shoulder may be designated as a traffic lane during rush hours or adverse incidents) along a portion of US-23 in Washtenaw County, MDOT has now announced plans to implement the same along I-96 in western Oakland County.  This will run between east of Kent Lake Road (about a mile east of the Livingston/Oakland county line) and I-275.  The I-96 bridges over Kent Lake Road and Kent Lake aren't wide enough for full-width shoulders and I assume the project will not include widening those bridges, which is one reason the western end of the flex lanes will be at Kent Lake Road and not all the way out to US-23. 

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2021; the news release does not indicate when the project is anticipated to be complete and the flex lanes in operation.  The project will include installation of entrance ramp meters at a few interchanges.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9620-503111--,00.html

[JREwing78]

This is long overdue, and actually makes the 3rd lane useful east of Westnedge Ave. Maybe in another 30 years the widening reaches I-69?

KALAMAZOO, MI – A major widening of Interstate 94 in Kalamazoo County is scheduled to begin in 2021, according to Michigan Department of Transportation plans.
I-94 from Lovers Lane to Sprinkle Road will undergo a major widening project, according to a draft version of MDOT's 2020-2024 Five-Year Transportation Program.

The project will make the road six lanes total, three for westbound traffic and three for eastbound traffic, MDOT spokesman Nick Schirripa said. The widened section will connect to another portion of I-94 west of the project location that is already three lanes in each direction.

I-94 to be widened from 4 to 6 lanes in Kalamazoo under MDOT plan
https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2019/08/i-94-will-be-widened-from-4-to-6-lanes-in-kalamazoo-county.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=mlivedotcom_sf

[Flint1979]

I don't at all understand the reason for rerouting M-43 in Kalamazoo County. And the even dumber M-343 along Full Road as already mentioned don't understand that either. MDOT does some strange things.

Even with the turning back of pretty much all of the streets in downtown Kalamazoo, MDOT thinking they need to keep M-43 continuous seemed rather silly to me.

This might be a fictional highways post, but I always thought it strange that M-43 has two east-west segments on totally different latitudes, joined by a long north-south segment.  M-43 should have been two or three different routes to begin with.  The section west of Kalamazoo should have the same number as M-96 (call that one M-43, because 96 is way too close to I-96).  The northern east-west segment can be a western extension of M-59.  Kalamazoo north to Hastings can have a different number (M-87 maybe?).

My feelings about M-46 are very similar.  Why the big jog?

It use to go farther north and go through Ionia, Stanton, Ithaca and end in St. Charles. It was originally Kalamazoo to Hastings and then was extended west of Kalamazoo to South Haven long before US-131 was a freeway. I just don't understand the point of rerouting the highway and making M-343 makes no sense. M-143 doesn't make any sense either.

[wanderer2575]

I don't at all understand the reason for rerouting M-43 in Kalamazoo County. And the even dumber M-343 along Full Road as already mentioned don't understand that either. MDOT does some strange things.

Even with the turning back of pretty much all of the streets in downtown Kalamazoo, MDOT thinking they need to keep M-43 continuous seemed rather silly to me.

This might be a fictional highways post, but I always thought it strange that M-43 has two east-west segments on totally different latitudes, joined by a long north-south segment.  M-43 should have been two or three different routes to begin with.  The section west of Kalamazoo should have the same number as M-96 (call that one M-43, because 96 is way too close to I-96).  The northern east-west segment can be a western extension of M-59.  Kalamazoo north to Hastings can have a different number (M-87 maybe?).

My feelings about M-46 are very similar.  Why the big jog?

It use to go farther north and go through Ionia, Stanton, Ithaca and end in St. Charles. It was originally Kalamazoo to Hastings and then was extended west of Kalamazoo to South Haven long before US-131 was a freeway. I just don't understand the point of rerouting the highway and making M-343 makes no sense. M-143 doesn't make any sense either.

I understand the point of rerouting M-43 -- MDOT doesn't want to renumber the route west of Kalamazoo (would create motorist confusion) but at the same time doesn't want discontinuous segments of the same route number, a la Indiana.  So I understand it; just not sure I agree with it.  I'm sure that MDOT realizes that in reality nobody is going to follow M-43 as posted through the whole area, but this probably is one case where bureaucratic policy and procedure trump practical reality.

M-343 should just be an unnumbered trunkline.  MDOT is taking that approach with Stadium Drive; I don't understand why they didn't do the same here.  (Out of curiosity, is there an END assembly posted at the city limit, or does the signing just cease and leave motorists searching for a nonexistent route?)

I also agree M-143 should be unnumbered trunkline.  It technically ends at the East Lansing city limit and doesn't even extend to US-127.  It was unnumbered for awhile then was resurrected several years ago with a reconstruction project.  I read somewhere that MDOT's policy at the time was to bring back route number designations when unsigned trunklines underwent major construction.

[ftballfan]

M-231 at Lincoln St near Grand Haven is getting new signals with technology that "extends the yellow signal for a vehicle it detects is not slowing fast enough".

The not-a-traffic-engineer layperson I am scratches my head at that explanation. Why not just extend the red phase for cross traffic until the intersection is clear? If people keep stuffing the intersection during the yellow phase, could they extend that yellow light indefinitely?

I'm sure there's a better explanation or strategy here that isn't encouraging drivers to run yellow lights. But this article doesn't describe that.

Signal at Lincoln, M-231 features new technology
https://www.grandhaventribune.com/Transportation/2019/07/20/Signal-at-Lincoln-and-M-231-features-new-technology

On a side note, this traffic signal on a 65 mph 2-lane setup seems awfully rare in Michigan. There is one at M-65 and M-55 near Whittemore, and at M-65's terminus at US-23 - though the county road south of US-23 at this intersection has an (unposted) 55 mph limit.

It's also unclear if 65 mph is legal at M-104 near Nunica, though one would be hard pressed to achieve 65 between the off-ramp from I-96 and the light at M-104. Though, at least of the last Google Street View image, it appears no signage is in place saying you can't drive 65mph NBD on M-231 though a green light. https://goo.gl/maps/SKLFZdDZbbQMsAUN6

There is also the 4-way stop at M-55 and M-37 near Wellston where both roads are 65 mph on each side of the intersection. I found it hard to believe that M-55/M-65 has a full stoplight until I looked at the intersection in Street View