GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Construction on a new on-ramp for westbound I-196 started today.
According to the City of Grand Rapids, the $1.87 million project officially started Monday, April 8 and is expected to end in July.
The project stemmed from the Michigan Street Corridor Plan, which was completed in 2015 and recommended changes for the Ottawa-Ionia I-196 interchange. Work was completed on the Ottawa Avenue off-ramp in 2017.
CLOSURES & DETOURS
Starting Monday morning, Ionia Avenue north of Michigan Street and the eastbound I-196 on-ramp will be closed. Ionia Avenue through traffic will be detoured to Michigan Street to Monroe Avenue to Mason Street.
With the on-ramps closed, westbound drivers will need to follow a detour set up via Michigan Street to the Lane Avenue on-ramp. Eastbound drivers will need to take Michigan Street to the College Avenue on-ramp. The city says the Ionia Avenue eastbound I-196 on-ramp will reopen in late April.
In addition to the new westbound I-196 on-ramp, this project will:
- Reconstruct Ionia Avenue from Michigan Street to the City’s Ionia North parking lot
- End Ionia Avenue south of the Ionia North parking lot
- Provide access to Division Avenue from Michigan Street via Ionia Avenue
- Convert Ionia Avenue to a two-way street between the Ionia North parking lot and Fairbanks Street
- Remove on-street parking on the west side of Ionia Avenue between the Ionia North parking lot and Fairbanks Street. Parking on the east side of the street will be maintained.
- Remove all on-street parking on Ionia Avenue between Michigan Street and the westbound I-196 on-ramp
- Remove the sidewalk on the west side of Ionia Avenue between Michigan Street and the westbound I-196 on-ramp and replace it with one on the east side of the street
Starting in June, Division Avenue will be closed between Michigan Street and the westbound I-196 on-ramp. Northbound Division Avenue traffic will be detoured to Crescent Street to Ionia Avenue to Michigan Street to Monroe Avenue to Mason Street. Southbound Division Avenue traffic will be detoured to Mason Street to Monroe Avenue to Lyon Street.
During the entire project, the pedestrian detour will use Michigan Street, Ottawa Avenue and Fairbanks Street.
Ionia, I-196 and Division detour maps
To find detour routes, maps, and updates visit the City of Grand Rapids' website.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.