Over the weekend Michigan Department of Transportation contractors set up several long-term freeway projects in Grand Rapids, biggest of which is reconstruction of the westbound Ford (Interstate-196) bridge over the Grand River. That bridge will be out through August, scheduled to just before Labor Day.
Here's the list of closings and squeezings.
Westbound Ford is ONE LANE from Interstate-96 to Fuller Ave., and CLOSED from Ottawa Ave. to US-131, scheduled to Labor Day, to rebuild and widen the bridge over the Grand River. Posted detour for through traffic is to stay on westbound 96 to the north side of Grand Rapids, and south on 131 to the Ford.
Southbound 131 ramp to eastbound Ford is CLOSED, until mid-June. Posted detour: take westbound Ford and flip around at Lane Ave.
Northbound 131 ramp to westbound Ford is CLOSED, until Labor Day. Posted detour: keep going to Leonard St. and flip around.
Ionia Ave. on-ramp to westbound Ford is CLOSED, until Labor Day.
Scribner Ave. will be CLOSED at the Ford, between Bridge St. and 4th St., starting at midnight tonight, until Labor Day.
Night work:
Southbound 131 will be ONE LANE from Ann St. to the Ford, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., until Saturday morning.
Pearl St. on-ramp to northbound 131 will be closed, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., until Saturday morning.
East side of Grand Rapids -- the "Flip Dig," reconstruction of the Ford-96-Beltline interchange:
Eastbound 96 is ONE LANE from Leonard St. to the Ford, LEFT lane closed, until mid-June, then eastbound will be CLOSED until mid-October.
Eastbound Ford is ONE LANE approaching 96 -- RIGHT lane closed.