Interstate 94 East

Interstate 94 leaves the confluence with U.S. 6 & SR 51 (Ripley Street) and the Indiana East West Toll Road (I-80/90) for the city of Portage and Porter County.

11/05/09

Michigan City, the northern terminus of both U.S. 35 and 421, is a 22 mile drive east along Interstate 94. Benton Harbor, Michigan follows in 57 miles.

11/05/09

SR 249 travels north along Crisman Road from U.S. 20 (Melton Road) 2.4 miles to the Indiana's International Port / Burns Harbor at Portage area. The state road sees a six-ramp parclo interchange with Interstate 94 at Exit 19.

11/05/09

One half mile west from the Exit 19 to SR 249 (Crisman Road) in the city of Portage. Crisman Road transitions into Willowcreek Road south ahead of its interchange with the Indiana East West Toll Road (Exit 23).

11/05/09

Exit 19 leaves Interstate 94 east. SR 249 ends at U.S. 20 nearby and meets U.S. 12 (Dunes highway) west of Ogden Dunes and east of Burns Harbor.

09/03/05

Reassurance marker for Interstate 94 east posted at the Jensen Drive overpass ahead of the Burns Harbor city line.

11/05/09

East of SR 249, Porter is the next community accessible from Interstate 94 at four miles away. Michigan City is now 19 miles and Detroit is 256 miles.

05/24/10

Interstate 94 retains its six lane configuration as it passes through northern Portage and into Burns Harbor. Eastbound motorists pass over Salt Creek in this scene.

05/24/10

One mile out from Exits 22 A-B with U.S. 20 serving both Burns Harbor and Porter, along Interstate 94 east. The Arcelormittal Steel plant along Lake Michigan can be seen in the distance.

11/05/09

Exit 22 comprises a six-ramp parclo interchange between Interstate 94 and U.S. 20 (Melton Road). U.S. 20 west heads back toward Burns Harbor while U.S. 20 East continues toward Porter.

11/05/09

Exit 22A leaves Interstate 94 east for U.S. 20 (Melton Road) west to Burns Harbor. U.S. 20 is a four lane highway through this area, providing an alternative (and original) route for Interstate 94.

11/05/09

U.S. 20 passes from the south to the north of Interstate 94 en route to Porter and Town of Pines. The two routes will again cross paths at Exit 40 outside Michigan City.

11/05/09

Interstate 94 remains a busy truck route to the Michigan state line and St. Joseph, the split with Interstate 196.

11/05/09

Two miles separate Interstate 94 east from U.S. 20 to SR 49 (Exits 26A/B). SR 49 is a four lane expressway that serves the Indiana Dunes area and the growing suburbs of Chesterton and Valparaiso.

11/05/09

One mile away from the SR 49 interchange along Interstate 94 east. SR 49 provides a crucial link between the U.S. 30 expressway that crosses Northern Indiana from Valparaiso to Fort Wayne, with Interstate 94 and the Indiana Toll Road. The highway also gets used by local commuters on their way to Chicago.

05/24/10

The Indiana Dunes Visitors Center is located to the north of Interstate 94 via Exit 26B while Valparaiso University, the largest independent Lutheran university in the country, is located about 15 miles to the south.

11/05/09

A cloverleaf interchange facilitates movements between Interstate 94 and SR 49 at Exit 26. SR 49 stretches for 44 miles across Porter and Jasper Counties from SR 14, northeast of Rensselaer, to the Indiana Dunes State Park. Both Chesterton and Valparaiso are south of Interstate 94 along SR 49.

11/05/09

Looking ahead to Exit 26B, a new guide sign gives SR 49 northbound the control city of the Indiana Dunes Recreational Areas, primarily the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Dunes State Park (an Indiana DNR property). The Indiana Dunes is a popular recreational area for those in the Chicago areas, as well as Indiana, and contains a diverse landscape abutted by heavy industry on both ends.

11/05/09

Passing over a Chesaspeake and Ohio Railroad line, Interstate 94 travelers swing northeastward through agricultural areas to Michigan City.

11/05/09

Michigan City is now 12 miles away while LaPorte, the county seat of LaPorte County, is 21 miles away. Detroit follows at 248 miles.

11/05/09

A pair of weigh stations operate along Interstate 94 east of the Brummitt Road overpass near Furnessville.

11/05/09

Almost in LaPorte County, a sign announces that the next two interchanges, the last two in Indiana, serve Michigan City. Michigan City is an older industrial city that doubles as a recreational destination along Lake Michigan.

11/05/09

U.S. 421 follows South Franklin Street from Michigan City to meet Interstate 94 at a cloverleaf interchange (Exits 34A/B) in two miles.

11/05/09

Interstate 94 enters LaPorte County, its last county in the state, at the County Line Road over crossing.

11/05/09

U.S. 421 travels 232 miles from the intersection with U.S. 20, a mile north of Interstate 94, to the Ohio River in Madison. The route used to end in Downtown Michigan City at U.S. 12 (Michigan Boulevard), but that northernmost stretch was decommissioned.

11/05/09

Exit 34A leaves Interstate 94 east for U.S. 421 south to the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) and adjacent Westville. U.S. 421 is a 941 mile highway that stretches from Michigan City to Wilmington, North Carolina.

11/05/09

A loop ramp carries motorists onto U.S. 421 northbound to Michigan City. Locally, the road is known as Franklin Street, an arterial forming the retail core of Michigan City with many shops and restaurants located north of Exit 34B.

11/05/09

Interstate 94 curves along the periphery of West Branch Trail Creek to Waterford from U.S. 421.

11/05/09

East of Exit 34, the next interchange with U.S. 20 & 35, is 4 miles away. Benton Harbor at 38 miles and Detroit at 240 miles round out the Michigan destinations.

05/24/10

Interstate 94 is still six lanes as it bypasses Michigan City to the southeast. The freeway advances to within two miles of U.S. 20 & 35 (Michigan Boulevard) at the Johnson Road overpass in this scene.

11/05/09

One mile out from Exits 40 A/B with U.S. 20 and U.S. 35 to Michigan City and South Bend. U.S. 20 bypasses Michigan City along the south side before making an easterly turn toward South Bend. U.S. 35 north ends at U.S. 20 and overlaps with the highway to a point east of Exit 40 where it breaks off toward LaPorte, Logansport, Kokomo, Muncie, and Richmond, ultimately ending in West Virginia at I-64.

11/05/09

A quarter mile west from the Exit 40A ramp for U.S. 20 East and U.S. 35 South to South Bend and LaPorte respectively. U.S. 20 goes from Newport, Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts for 3,365 miles. In Indiana it goes from Hammond through Gary, Portage, Michigan City, South Bend, Elkhart and Angola.

11/05/09

Entering the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 20 & 35 (Michigan Boulevard) on Interstate 94 east. U.S. 20 east & 35 south partition just east of Exit 40A. Neither see interchanges with the Indiana Toll Road. Instead travelers must use SR 39 to make the connection at Exit 49.

11/05/09

Exit 40B follows onto U.S. 20 west & 35 (Michigan Boulevard) north to their nearby interchange with SR 212. There U.S. 35 ends as U.S. 20 turns west to bypass the city. Old U.S. 35 continued Michigan Boulevard to U.S. 12 in downtown. Truncation of the route from this alignment occurred in 2008.

11/05/09

Interstate 94 turns northerly and spans the East Branch Trail Creek ahead of this reassurance shield assembly. From this point, I-94 heads for the Michigan border, keeping the six lane configuration all the way to the Interstate 196 / U.S. 31 interchange north of Benton Harbor.

11/05/09

New Buffalo represents the first Michigan off-ramp at M-239 (La Porte Road) in nine miles. U.S. 31 joins the freeway corridor at Benton Harbor from Niles in 33 miles.

11/05/09

Welcome to Michigan sign bridge posted at the Interstate 94 transition from LaPorte County, Indiana to Berrien County, Michigan. "Pure Michigan," used by the State of Michigan since 2006, adorns welcome signs, the official highway map, and all activities of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

11/05/09