Interstate 196

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Interstate 196
Auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System

Length:

80.6 mi (129.7 km)

Formed:

1963

South end:

I-94 near Benton Harbor, MI

Major
junctions:

US 31 near Holland, MI

duplexed since terminus

I-296/US 131 in Grand Rapids, MI

East end:

I-96/M-37 near Grand Rapids, MI

I-194

M-196

Interstate 196 (abbreviated I-196) is a long freeway spur route in the U.S. state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor.

I-196 changes direction although it is a through route. It is a north-south route from its southern terminus at exit 34 off Interstate 94 near Benton Harbor to the junction with US 31 just south of Holland. It is an east-west route from this point to its eastern terminus at the junction with I-96/M-37 on the east side of Grand Rapids. The total length is 80.6 miles. It may be proportionally the longest spur Interstate in proportion to its 'parent', Interstate 96, in the entire Interstate Highway system. Furthermore it is the 3rd longest Spur Route in the Interstate Highway system with Interstate 540 (Arkansas) and Interstate 135 being longer.

At first, Interstate 96 was planned to run from Detroit to Lansing to Grand Rapids to Benton Harbor, and I-196 was to be a spur route from Grand Rapids to Muskegon. However, I-96 from Detroit to Grand Rapids and I-196 from Grand Rapids to Muskegon was completed a few years before the segment from Grand Rapids to Benton Harbor. Thus it appeared as if I-196 were simply a continuation of I-96. Before the Grand Rapids-Benton Harbor segment was completed, the Michigan Department of Transportation petitioned federal highway officials to switch the interstate designations west of Grand Rapids. Permission for this switch was granted in 1963. Consideration was also made to name the Grand Rapids to Benton Harbor freeway I-67, but was later withdrawn.

I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties[1], after the 38th President of the United States, whose political career began in Grand Rapids. This name generally refers only to the section between Holland and Grand Rapids. There are two business loops and one business spur along I-196:

Business Loop in South Haven: From Exit 18 to Exit 20.
Business Loop in Holland-Zeeland: From Exit 44 To Exit 55. This route is no longer signed west of US 31 as the City of Holland wanted local control of the roads the route follows. Signs remain east of US 31 for the five miles to Exit 55 in Zeeland.
Business Spur in Wyoming-Grand Rapids: From I-96 Exit 72 To US 131 Exit 83B. Eastbound, this route is on Chicago Drive through Wyoming and Grandville Ave. to Franklin Ave. in Grand Rapids, where it ends at US-131.

1 Future
2 Junctions
3 Major cities
4 Exit list
5 External links

[edit] Future

Currently the Michigan Department of Transportation has two studies underway to improve traffic flow. The first one is nearly completed and actual construction is planned for 2007-08. The end result of the study is a new exit on the highway immediately before the Grandville/Jenison Chicago Dr exit. The exit was needed to remove the traffic backups that occur for motorists connecting to Baldwin St which involves crossing the CSX railroad which has multiple trains loaded principle with coal for power plants being used each day. The new exit puts traffic directly onto Baldwin St and would then allow the traffic to avoid crossing the grade level railroad tracks.

The other study involves the entire stretch of the highway from US 131 to its connection with I 96. The preferred alternative that MDOT has gone into detail has the following changes. First a third traveling lane from I 96 to US 131 and a weave merge lane for several miles from Fuller Ave to Division Ave. The other changes include exit ramps being adjusted and some local roads changed. Furthermore an East I 96 to West I 196 and an East I 196 to East I 96 junctions are being added. Another junction change includes separating the I 96 and I 196 traffic from the rest of the highway interchange a quarter mile before than presently done for the exit to M 37/M 44 interchange. Another change in that area is a new East I 196 to East I 96 merge lanes along with a new bridge and alignment for the West I 96 to West I 196 merge lanes. Further work will be done to I 96 in this area.

[edit] Junctions

M-6: Between Hudsonville, Michigan and Grandville, Michigan.
US 131: Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan
I-96: East of downtown Grand Rapids.
Termini listed in box, and several state and county highways.

[edit] Major cities

Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs.

[edit] Exit list

Exit Number	Road Name	Notes
1	Red Arrow Highway
4	Coloma Rd
7	Hagar Shore Rd
13	32nd Ave
18	M 140 South/Bus I-196
20	Phoenix Rd/Bus I-196
22	North Shore Dr
26	109th Ave
30	Blue Star Memorial Highway/Lake Shore Dr
34	M 89/124th Ave
36	Blue Star Memorial Highway/68th St
41	Blue Star Memorial Highway
44	US 31/Bus I-196
49	M 40/Lincoln Rd
52	Adams St
55	Bus I-196/Byron Rd
62	32nd Ave
64	M 6 Paul Henry Freeway	It is also called the South Beltline
67	44th St
69A	Chicago Dr	Currently listed just as 69
69B	Baldwin St	Should be built in the next two to three years
70	M 11/28th St/Wilson Ave	This is the original southwest corner of the Grand Rapids Beltline with 28th St being south and Wilson Ave being west.
72	Bus I-196/Chicago Dr
73	Market Ave
75	M 45/Lake Michigan Dr
76	Lane Ave
77A	Southbound US 131
77B	Northbound US 131/I-296	A note on I-296 it is an unsigned Interstate trunkline.
77C	Ottawa Ave	This Starts the Medical Corridor along Michigan St
78	College Ave	This Ends the Medical Corridor along Michigan St
79	Fuller Ave