UNDATED (WHTC-AM/FM, Mar. 20, 2022) – The road construction season begins in earnest along the Lakeshore on Monday (Mar. 21).
The major project is south of Holland, where both lanes of US-31 from the Tulip City to the I-196 junction will be rebuilt in a $25 million project. In order to accomplish this, contractors retained by the Michigan Department of Transportation will block off the northbound US-31 exit from I-196, diverting traffic to the M-40 Lincoln Road exit a few miles east and detouring them north to US-31.
Southbound US-31 traffic will first shift to the northbound lanes from Washington Avenue to US-31 while the southbound lanes are rebuilt, and then shift back to the southbound lanes while the northbound lanes are renewed. The exit from southbound US-31 to southbound Washington Avenue will be closed, and northbound Washington Avenue will be blocked off at Regent Boulevard just north of West Michigan Regional Airport.
All of this work is slated to begin on Monday, with a tentative finishing date of October 1st, but MDOT officials believe that it could be extended into November, depending on weather and other factors.
Another project beginning on Monday is the widening and rebuilding of Lakewood Boulevard, from River Avenue west to Lakeshore Drive. The Holland BPW will be installing a new 36-inch water transmission main, while Holland Township will replace existing water main and storm sewer lines, and the Ottawa County Road Commission will widen Lakewood Boulevard between Division and Analine avenues and resurfacing the roadway from River to Lakeshore. This work may last through the Thanksgiving holiday on November 24th.
Already underway is the replacement of a bridge over the Macatawa River east of Zeeland that has blocked off Byron Road from I-196 to 76th Avenue. Eastbound Byron Road traffic is diverted off at 64th Avenue to Chicago Drive. That work is slated for a June 5th completion, as the route is expected to be used as an alternate for I-196 traffic while the highway is rebuilt from the 32nd Avenue exit in Hudsonville to the Byron Road (Business 196) exit.
MDOT is holding a virtual public meeting, highlighting this year’s scheduled road projects in the region, on Tuesday, March 22nd, from 5 to 6 PM via Microsoft Teams or by phone (248-509-0316).
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