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Big construction project on US-131 will impact thousands of drivers' commutes

The $6.2 million project is an "extremely necessary fix," according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Beginning at the end of March, parts of US-131 near downtown Grand Rapids will be closed for bridge repair.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is spending about $6.2 million to improve and repair two bridges over Plaster Creek on US-131.

First, northbound US-131 will be closed for about a month at 28th Street beginning on Sunday, March 31. There will be a single lane open from Burton Street through the downtown.

Following the closure on northbound US-131, southbound US-131 will be closed at Burton Street for about a month, MDOT said.

Detour routes will be made available by taking M-6 to I-96 or I-196 to avoid the construction.

There will also be lane closures on US-131 between 28th Street and Pearl Street throughout the duration of the project.

"It's going to be highly disruptive to traffic because we have to you know, detour basically 120,000 vehicles on that stretch. It's the busiest highway in all of Michigan outside of Detroit. So this is going to be very disruptive," said MDOT Communications Representative John Richard.

MDOT is calling the project an "extremely necessary fix."

"It desperately needs it. That stretch from basically M-11, 28th Street, all the way down to 196. We've been studying that section for years on the PEL study. It needs a full rebuild," said Richard.

The construction on the two bridges over Plaster Creek will fix joints and rehabilitate the bridges, which still have their original pavement from the 1950s and 1960s.

MDOT says that US-131 needs a full rebuild and modernization, but that is estimated to cost upwards of $500 million. The annual budget for the 13 counties in the "Grand Region" of Michigan is only $100 million.

So, while a full rebuild isn't in the budget, these smaller improvements will have to suffice for the time being.

"We got to keep 131 alive basically until we can fund that full rebuild that full modernization of 131 in downtown Grand Rapids," Richard added.

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