News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

Possible M-231 extension

Started by Terry Shea, February 13, 2020, 04:49:58 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Terry Shea

https://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20200213/possible-m-231-expansion-considered
This seems silly if it's just going to be a 2-lane road.  Original plans called for a full freeway from I-196 near Zeeland to I-96 near Nunica.  While the already built northern 2-lane portion was necessary due to a lack of bridges across the Grand River in Ottawa County and the very undependable bascule bridge in Grand Haven, I don't see where a 2-lane road with at grade intersections from I-196 to M-45 serves any useful purpose.  120th avenue already spans this stretch.  Either make it a full freeway that people will use to bypass Holland/Grand Haven or scrap it altogether.


silverback1065

It's supposed to become a freeway one day. Has the R/W for it too.

renegade

It'll happen when it happens ... it's the MDOT way.   :popcorn:
Don’t ask me how I know.  Just understand that I do.

silverback1065

Quote from: renegade on February 13, 2020, 07:11:27 PM
It'll happen when it happens ... it's the MDOT way.   :popcorn:
So in 350 yrs?

seicer

It appears to be a mostly two-lane freeway with four interchanges. Judging from the studies performed, it doesn't appear that there are high enough traffic counts to warrant a four-lane freeway and financial considerations make this project a long-shot proposal that *could* be built.

Terry Shea

Quote from: silverback1065 on February 13, 2020, 07:13:45 PM
Quote from: renegade on February 13, 2020, 07:11:27 PM
It’ll happen when it happens ... it’s the MDOT way.   :popcorn:
So in 350 yrs?
That would be very optimistic by MDOT standards!

ftballfan

IMHO, any potential extension of M-231 should end at existing US-31 between New Holland St and Port Sheldon St. US-31 near Holland doesn't need a bypass as it has good access control (i.e. all of the businesses along US-31 north of Holland are accessed via parallel service drives). US-31 through Grand Haven is a mess as most of the businesses along that stretch enter/exit directly on to US-31.

Also, as Hudsonville and Allendale keep growing, I-196 could really use an interchange at 48th Ave.

The Ghostbuster

I expect it will be at least 10 to 20 years before M-231 is extended southward. At any rate, how many homes and businesses would have to be demolished in order for M-231 to be extended southward, say to Interstate 196? I wonder if any NIMBYism might arise about such an extension.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.