US 31 freeway gap in Michigan finally will be filled (well 1 of them anyway)

[Ryctor2018]

Hopefully, M-231 can be built even as a Super-2 down to I-196. That will at least complete the route.

[silverback1065]

Hopefully, M-231 can be built even as a Super-2 down to I-196. That will at least complete the route.

there are at least plans to do that. when that will actually happen? who knows.

[Flint1979]

Wow going from GR to TC Google Maps suggests a strange route. It tells you to take I-96 to Muskegon, then follow US-31 north to Ludington, then US-10 back to M-37 north. Anyone care to explain why they would suggest that route when taking M-37 straight shot is quicker as well as taking US-131 to M-115 to M-37 to US-31 is also quicker? It would take you over 3 hours to drive this route, it would take just over 2 hours to drive the route I would take.

[Flint1979]

M-231 is basically there for an extra Grand River crossing that's about it in reality. It's a non direct bypass of Grand Haven.

[Flint1979]

i just wish they'd finish the gap between 196 and 96.

What gap is that?

[silverback1065]

i just wish they'd finish the gap between 196 and 96.

What gap is that?

the freeway gap.

[roadman65]

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is a perfect expressway grade. Don't need freeway.

[silverback1065]

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is a perfect expressway grade. Don't need freeway.

no it's not and it's particularly bad in Grand Haven.

[kphoger]

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is a perfect expressway grade. Don't need freeway.

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is I-196.

[roadman65]

So you remove the at grades that are problematic and problem solved.

[roadman65]

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is a perfect expressway grade. Don't need freeway.

US 31 between Holland and South Haven is I-196.

I meant Grand Haven.  Sorry. Wrong Haven.

[Ryctor2018]

M-231 is a parallel alternate to US-31 to cross the Grand River, since the drawbridge on US-31 in Grand Haven is notorious for backups. I don't think the route needs to be a freeway either (right now). However, M-231 has a 4-lane ROW and can later be upgraded if necessary. I believe the route should be completed south to I-196 even as a Super-2. US-31 can stay as an expressway, while M-231 will be limited/controlled access.

[skluth]

M-231 is a parallel alternate to US-31 to cross the Grand River, since the drawbridge on US-31 in Grand Haven is notorious for backups. I don't think the route needs to be a freeway either (right now). However, M-231 has a 4-lane ROW and can later be upgraded if necessary. I believe the route should be completed south to I-196 even as a Super-2. US-31 can stay as an expressway, while M-231 will be limited/controlled access.

Is there a ROW for M-231 south of M-45? I don't see a way south to I-196 without taking a lot of property until east of Zeeland.

[triplemultiplex]

Is there a ROW for M-231 south of M-45? I don't see a way south to I-196 without taking a lot of property until east of Zeeland.

Yeah, which is why the proposed route swings way east of Zeeland in a less-than-direct manner.
Such that only under peak conditions on US 31 will it be faster then just dealing with the lights and cross traffic.

[roadman65]

Just how many signals exist between the split from I-196 to the Grand River anyhow?

I saw many for a semi rural roadway to have in 2008.

[Ryctor2018]

The map I saw had a feeder that would connect US-31 north of Holland to M-231. M-231 would still swing around Zeeland to I-196. So, you can drive through Holland then connect to M-231 on the other side; or stay on I-196 past Zeeland to the new route. Of course all this is still in planning. The route is still many years away. Maybe MDOT can use the Infrastructure money to accelerate the timeline.

[roadman65]

I saw where you're talking about but not on a planning map though. On Google I traced by guessing. M-231 would  follow a path to interchange  then somewhere between BL I-169 and M-6 whenever they get to it.

[kphoger]

Just how many signals exist between the split from I-196 to the Grand River anyhow?

I saw many for a semi rural roadway to have in 2008.

Depending on how you count Michigan lefts, approximately two dozen.

[roadman65]

Yes I remember some lefts had an extra signal in addition to the main one. Most had open median uncontrolled, but few had a u turn signal.

[Ryctor2018]

I saw where you're talking about but not on a planning map though. On Google I traced by guessing. M-231 would  follow a path to interchange  then somewhere between BL I-169 and M-6 whenever they get to it.

I saw it on the Michigan Highways page for M-231. http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/US-31Freeway_Ottawa.html
All credit to Chris Bessert, of course. A few years ago during the start of the pandemic there was an article about the State talking to folks about land in Ottawa co. But, like I said this is probably years away.

[bessertc]

Just how many signals exist between the split from I-196 to the Grand River anyhow?

I saw many for a semi rural roadway to have in 2008.

Depending on how you count Michigan lefts, approximately two dozen.

Extremely close! Northbound on US-31 between I-196 south of Holland and M-104 at Spring Lake, you encounter 26 traffic signals, but that includes the traffic signals on the Grand River bascule bridge itself as well, so 25 signalized intersections and one "signalized bridge," if you will. There is also one at-grade railroad crossing in Holland as well, but it's on a spur line that isn't very highly used, thankfully.

Someone above seemed to believe that all one would need to do is eliminate the grade crossings and, voila, you have a freeway. While I'd love for the stretch of US-31 through Holland to be converted to a depressed urban freeway with continuous service drives (if at all possible–I haven't done the sketches myself to see how much room there is and how many takings would be necessary and, therefore, what the price tag would be on this), but the "theoretical" "division of Holland" by a freeway would be a non-starter with locals and civic leaders, even if, by depressing the freeway, you'd be able to improve pedestrian connections across what is now an otherwise formidable "barrier" cutting through the east side of Holland. I think with properly designed overpasses and pedestrian accommodations and other non-motorized options, such a facility would not only much preferable to the existing US-31 route through Holland, it would be much better than the proposed US-31 "wide-swing" route around Zeeland as well in so many ways. One issue I don't know about is how high the water table is in the area between Central Ave and 8th St, though, so that might be an additional issue to a depressed freeway through there as well.

Most people unfamiliar with the Holland-to-Ferrysburg "freeway gap" also don't realize that US-31 runs right through Grand Haven and there's no way to slam a freeway through that city. Period. MDOT actually studied that as one of their options in the run-up to choosing the alternative that gave us the existing M-231. I can't remember the dollar amount and the sheer number of acres and number of residences and commercial structures that would be taken, but it was astronomical. It would've been like wiping out a third of the city of Grand Haven to plow a freeway through there. It would also require a high-level crossing for the Grand River to replace the existing bascule span, because we're not going to have another (original) Zilwaukee Bridge-on-a-freeway situation again in this state!

In the end, barring physical constraints (e.g. high water table), financial constraints (e.g. too many structural takings), and pissed-off citizenry constraints (e.g. the "divided Holland" argument), my perfect solution is the "US-31 Recommended Alternative" map from MDOT on my website from I-96 down to Port Sheldon Rd, then following the presumed Business Connection to the existing route and the freewayization of the existing route through Holland (as per above):  http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/US-31Freeway_Ottawa.html

[Avalanchez71]

The depressed freeway idea sounds depressing.  I didn't realize that there was a gap in Michigan for US 31.   

[silverback1065]

The depressed freeway idea sounds depressing.  I didn't realize that there was a gap in Michigan for US 31.   

it's a very annoying one too 

[hotdogPi]

To clarify: US 31 is continuous in Michigan. It's not like US 422 in Pennsylvania where there are two disconnected segments. There's just a gap in the freeway.

[triplemultiplex]

Someone should really modify the thread title to say "Freeway Gap" because I swear we've had the same exchange 17 times where people read the title and nothing else to immediately post about "there's no 'gap' in US 31!"  It's getting super annoying.