GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – It’s the last thing that Tulip Time Festival, LAUP Fiesta and Hope College officials wanted this weekend … visitors having problems getting to Holland.
Unfortunately, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Grand Region office is throwing a motoring wrench into the plans of many of those who wish to come to the Lakeshore from the east.
Beginning at 9 PM on Friday, westbound M-6 will be blocked at the 8th Avenue exit south of Jenison for a 56-hour period, through 5 AM on Monday. Traffic is being routed off and detoured on two-lane roads all the way to Zeeland. According to M-DOT’s John Richard, the suggested detour is south of 8th Avenue to Byron Road, and west on Byron Road to the I-196 junction.
It will be the second straight weekend that such a blockade has been put into place due to “culvert work,” which is “weather dependent.” If last weekend was any indication, motorists were turning west at Quincy Street, bypassing the marked detour, and taking that to 32nd Avenue to get to westbound I-196.
This closure comes at the same time that a long-term road renovation project has moved westbound I-196 traffic between Kenowa and 32nd avenues in eastern Ottawa County to the eastbound lanes.
Richard added that, due to weather conditions this week, resurfacing work on I-196 in both directions between the Byron Road (BL-196) and Lincoln Road (M-40) exits has been extended through 7 PM on Monday. There have been lane closures in that stretch since April 13th. MDOT was hoping to have that project completed on Friday.
The 90th Tulip Time Festival formally begins its nine-day run on Saturday, while the LAUP Fiesta is set for Saturday, and the 154th Hope College graduation ceremony is on Sunday.
