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

[Avalanchez71]

Wow what a huge waste of money.  That "gap" is nothing.  Put in a roundabout and call it a day.

[Terry Shea]

Wow what a huge waste of money.  That "gap" is nothing.  Put in a roundabout and call it a day.

The gap never should have been there in the first place.  Actually building a roundabout would be a huge waste of money.

[Avalanchez71]

I see the gap as smart use of money.  MI doesn't have money to throw around.

[silverback1065]

it would make absolutely no sense to slap a roundabout there.  filling the gap is necessary, and something the area has been begging for for years.  Michigan just sucks at infrastructure.

[ftballfan]

the holland gap will never be filled

The Holland gap will be a bypass, M231.  Plans do call for a freeway, at some point from I-96 to I-196.  Will take years to get that funding.

Existing M-231 would also have to be upgraded as there's only one two-lane bridge over the Grand River. I do think existing US-31 through the Holland area was planned out well north of Chicago Drive with limited access (unlike Grand Haven). The only thing I could see there in my lifetime is a connection from M-231's southern end to existing US-31 around Port Sheldon St (and maybe the I-96/US-31 interchange improved slightly)

[northernmi]

the holland gap will never be filled

The Holland gap will be a bypass, M231.  Plans do call for a freeway, at some point from I-96 to I-196.  Will take years to get that funding.

Existing M-231 would also have to be upgraded as there's only one two-lane bridge over the Grand River. I do think existing US-31 through the Holland area was planned out well north of Chicago Drive with limited access (unlike Grand Haven). The only thing I could see there in my lifetime is a connection from M-231's southern end to existing US-31 around Port Sheldon St (and maybe the I-96/US-31 interchange improved slightly)

The actual plan, if MDOT had the funding, would be to build a complete highway around Holland and Grand Haven.  M231 is just a small sliver to get it started.  Click on the link below

http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/US-31Freeway_OttawaAlt_MDOT.gif

[US 41]

Excuse my ignorance, but what gap? I drove through there on US 31 last July and I don't recall a gap. I'm not sure what you're even referencing when I look on Google Maps.

[triplemultiplex]

Excuse my ignorance, but what gap? I drove through there on US 31 last July and I don't recall a gap. I'm not sure what you're even referencing when I look on Google Maps.

The thread title should say "US 31 Freeway Gap" since that is what it is talking about.  Not an actual gap in the signed route.

[The Ghostbuster]

I think US 31 should have been completed to Interstate 94 long ago. Does the needs of a butterfly trump the needs to complete a needed freeway connection?

[GaryV]

I think US 31 should have been completed to Interstate 94 long ago. Does the needs of a butterfly trump the needs to complete a needed freeway connection?

Heresy!   

[US 41]

Excuse my ignorance, but what gap? I drove through there on US 31 last July and I don't recall a gap. I'm not sure what you're even referencing when I look on Google Maps.

The thread title should say "US 31 Freeway Gap" since that is what it is talking about.  Not an actual gap in the signed route.

Got it. I was thinking that the Holland Gap and the freeway gap were two different gaps.

[silverback1065]

I think US 31 should have been completed to Interstate 94 long ago. Does the needs of a butterfly trump the needs to complete a needed freeway connection?

apparently yes.

[triplemultiplex]

All this passion for cutting out two minutes of drive time between Grand Rapids and South Bend. 

[Terry Shea]

All this passion for cutting out two minutes of drive time between Grand Rapids and South Bend. 

And if the same freeway gap existed in any other major highway it would have been taken care of decades ago.

[silverback1065]

All this passion for cutting out two minutes of drive time between Grand Rapids and South Bend. 

And if the same freeway gap existed in any other major highway it would have been taken care of decades ago.

it takes michigan decades to even ask themselves if they need to upgrade something.

[northernmi]

Pick the best option you like for US-31 gap, to either I-94 or to I-94 / I-196.   Maybe they can talk about it for another 10 years.

http://www.michiganhighways.org/maps/US-31Freeway_BerrienAlts.pdf

[vdeane]

I prefer PA-4 but wouldn't mind PA-3.  Definitely not PA-1.  I thought the Napier Ave interchange was built years ago?

[The Ghostbuster]

13 years ago, if I'm not mistaken. At any rate, the sooner the gap between Napier Ave. and Interstate 94 is filled, the better.

[silverback1065]

i thought they picked one of the alignments connecting it to bus 94?

[theline]

^^ Yes the preferred route was chosen in 2011, per this posting upthread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18276.msg2156336#msg2156336. A discussion of the alternatives follows that posting. I've not heard that any change is imminent, but feel free to debate again anyway.

[mvak36]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/us-department-of-transportation-awards-m-dot-grant-to-finish-us-31-in-berrien-county

BERRIEN COUNTY – A major update Thursday on a project on one of the area's busiest roadways.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarding M-DOT a $20 million grant to finish U.S. 31 in Berrien County.

The money will pay to extend the highway from Napier Avenue to I-94, a stretch of approximately two miles.

Work on the project could begin as soon as 2021.

[sparker]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/us-department-of-transportation-awards-m-dot-grant-to-finish-us-31-in-berrien-county

BERRIEN COUNTY – A major update Thursday on a project on one of the area's busiest roadways.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarding M-DOT a $20 million grant to finish U.S. 31 in Berrien County.

The money will pay to extend the highway from Napier Avenue to I-94, a stretch of approximately two miles.

Work on the project could begin as soon as 2021.

This, and the grant addressing the I-49 missing gap in AR/MO mentioned in another thread, is among the better news items to come down the pike in a long time in this era of incomplete corridors.  Glad to see such discrepancies prioritized for once! 

[mvak36]

https://wsbt.com/news/local/us-department-of-transportation-awards-m-dot-grant-to-finish-us-31-in-berrien-county

BERRIEN COUNTY – A major update Thursday on a project on one of the area's busiest roadways.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarding M-DOT a $20 million grant to finish U.S. 31 in Berrien County.

The money will pay to extend the highway from Napier Avenue to I-94, a stretch of approximately two miles.

Work on the project could begin as soon as 2021.

This, and the grant addressing the I-49 missing gap in AR/MO mentioned in another thread, is among the better news items to come down the pike in a long time in this era of incomplete corridors.  Glad to see such discrepancies prioritized for once!

Yes, today was really good news. There were a lot of important Interstate/US highway projects that got funding today. I'm looking forward to the next round of FASTLANE grants being awarded next year so we can see what major projects they will fund.


iPhone

[sparker]

Yes, today was really good news. There were a lot of important Interstate/US highway projects that got funding today. I'm looking forward to the next round of FASTLANE grants being awarded next year so we can see what major projects they will fund.
iPhone

If anyone would have a complete list of the grants awarded in this round, it would be greatly appreciated if it were posted -- or at least a link supplied.  Might be some more decent tidbits in that particular litany!

[mvak36]

Yes, today was really good news. There were a lot of important Interstate/US highway projects that got funding today. I'm looking forward to the next round of FASTLANE grants being awarded next year so we can see what major projects they will fund.
iPhone

If anyone would have a complete list of the grants awarded in this round, it would be greatly appreciated if it were posted -- or at least a link supplied.  Might be some more decent tidbits in that particular litany!

I have looked on the BUILD grant's website and haven't seen anything yet. Much like the INFRA grants back in June, all the states that won the grants are doing the announcements first.