Construction update: Winchester Alley closed all day Friday

Both Winchester Alley between Lyon and Fountain streets and G1 parking will be closed for the entire day on Friday, May 3.

Construction teams will be making the final lifts of steel up to the roof to install the sign transforming the Main Building into Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall.

Rendering of the sign for Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall as it will appear from Pearl Street.

Construction notice: Nightly lane closures through Thursday, NB/SB US-131 at I-196

Map showing the nightly lane closure pattern for April 30-May 3, 9 p.m.-5 a.m.

Nightly double lane closures will be in place on northbound US-131 from Franklin Street to I-196, Tuesday-Thursday, April 30-May 3, from 9 p.m.-5 a.m.

The Pearl Street ramp to NB US-131 will be closed during these nights as well.

In addition, there will be nightly double lane closures on southbound US-131 from Ann Street to I-196, Wednesday-Thursday of this week.

Link to MDOT Lane Closure Map can be found on the MiDrive website.

Construction reminder: Winchester Alley closed for sign installation

Winchester Alley between Lyon and Fountain streets will be closed starting TODAY as crews begin installing the sign transforming the Main Building into Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall.

Parking: G1, Cook Hall parking will be closed. Lyon ramp staff parking gates will be opened.

Crews began preparation work Friday, and a crane is being set in place to haul materials to the roof and upper levels of the building. Work is expected to last about a week.

Rendering of the sign for Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall as it will appear from Pearl Street.

Construction notice: Winchester Alley closed next week

Winchester Alley between Lyon and Fountain streets will be closed starting Monday as crews begin installing the sign transforming Main Building into Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall.

Crews will start preparation work today, and a crane will be set in place on Monday to haul materials to the roof and upper levels of the building. Work is expected to last about a week.

Parking: G1, Cook Hall parking will be closed. Lyon ramp staff parking gates will be opened.

Rendering of the sign for Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall as it will appear from Pearl Street.

Monroe Ave NW partially closed this week for construction

Photo of Monroe Ave. NW outside of DeVos Place, where lanes will be closed beginning April 22.

Beginning TODAY, April 22, Monroe Ave. NW in front of DeVos Place will narrow traffic flow and temporarily close lanes.

The lane closures are expected to last through Friday, April 26.

The temporary lane closures will:

  • Shift northbound and southbound traffic on Monroe Avenue to the western two lanes.
  • Close the Silver Line station in front of the City and County buildings. A temporary bus stop will be added north near Michigan Street.
  • Close the crosswalk to the main entrance of DeVos Place. The next crosswalk to the south will remain open.
  • Close the Monroe Avenue entrance to the City and County buildings during active material lifts. During these intermittent closures, visitors may enter the buildings from the Government Center Ramp or the Calder Plaza entrance off Ottawa Avenue NW.

The lane closures – planned for April 22-26 – are necessary for onsite crane mobilization as crews remove the temporary air handling units from the roof of City Hall.

For more information, please visit the City of Grand Rapids website.

Monroe Ave NW partially closed beginning Monday for construction

Photo of Monroe Ave. NW outside of DeVos Place, where lanes will be closed beginning April 22.

Beginning Monday, April 22, Monroe Ave. NW in front of DeVos Place will narrow traffic flow and temporarily close lanes.

The lane closures are expected to last through Friday, April 26.

The temporary lane closures will:

  • Shift northbound and southbound traffic on Monroe Avenue to the western two lanes.
  • Close the Silver Line station in front of the City and County buildings. A temporary bus stop will be added north near Michigan Street.
  • Close the crosswalk to the main entrance of DeVos Place. The next crosswalk to the south will remain open.
  • Close the Monroe Avenue entrance to the City and County buildings during active material lifts. During these intermittent closures, visitors may enter the buildings from the Government Center Ramp or the Calder Plaza entrance off Ottawa Avenue NW.

The lane closures – planned for April 22-26 – are necessary for onsite crane mobilization as crews remove the temporary air handling units from the roof of City Hall.

For more information, please visit the City of Grand Rapids website.

Monroe Ave NW partially closed next week for construction

Photo of Monroe Ave. NW outside of DeVos Place, where lanes will be closed beginning April 22.

Beginning Monday, April 22, Monroe Ave. NW in front of DeVos Place will narrow traffic flow and temporarily close lanes.

The lane closures are expected to last through Friday, April 26.

The temporary lane closures will:

  • Shift northbound and southbound traffic on Monroe Avenue to the western two lanes.
  • Close the Silver Line station in front of the City and County buildings. A temporary bus stop will be added north near Michigan Street.
  • Close the crosswalk to the main entrance of DeVos Place. The next crosswalk to the south will remain open.
  • Close the Monroe Avenue entrance to the City and County buildings during active material lifts. During these intermittent closures, visitors may enter the buildings from the Government Center Ramp or the Calder Plaza entrance off Ottawa Avenue NW.

The lane closures – planned for April 22-26 – are necessary for onsite crane mobilization as crews remove the temporary air handling units from the roof of City Hall.

For more information, please visit the City of Grand Rapids website.

Construction reminder: Ionia Ave north of Michigan St closed through July

A new westbound I-196 on-ramp is coming to Division Avenue downtown. Construction on the on-ramp begins Monday and is expected to end in July.

Starting TODAY, April 8, 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.

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.

More information is available on the  City of Grand Rapids website.

NEW construction project begins Monday: Ionia Ave north of Michigan St

A new westbound I-196 on-ramp is coming to Division Avenue downtown. Construction on the on-ramp begins Monday and is expected to end in July.

Starting Monday, April 8, 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.

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.

More information is available on the  City of Grand Rapids website.

Construction reminder: final day to take Westbound I-196 downtown until August

Starting this Monday, April 1, the Michigan Department of Transportation will begin a construction project to reconstruct and widen Westbound I-196 over the Grand River.

A complete closure of Westbound I-196 from Ottawa Ave to Lane Ave will be in place from April-August.

A map showing the detour for I-196 construction. The map directs westbound drivers to plan to take the I-96 intersection (just west of the East Beltline) and to stay on I-96 W until reaching 131-South, which should be taken until it reconnects with I-196 just after that highway crosses the Grand River.

Westbound I-196 will be closed prior to US-131, so US-131 traffic will be detoured to I-96 as shown on the map above. Ramp closures at the US-131/I-196 interchange in Downtown Grand Rapids will also take place beginning April 1.

Please note: Westbound I-196 will be open to the Ottawa Exit, but all remaining traffic on WB I-196 must exit at Ottawa.

Additionally, Scribner Avenue under I-196 will be closed April 2 – August 31 due to the westbound I-196 bridge construction.  Traffic will be detoured to Broadway Ave NW, as shown on the map below:

Map showing the section of Scribner closed underneath I-196 and the official detour route on Broadway Ave NW.

Extensive road closures Friday and Saturday near the I-196 interchange

In preparation for the WB I-196 Freeway closure (which will occur Sunday night) there will be many closures at the US-131/I-196 interchange both tomorrow and Saturday. The closures are as follows:

  • Double lane closure on NB US-131 from Franklin to I-196: Friday 9 p.m.-Saturday 3 p.m.
  • Double lane closure on SB US-131 from Ann Street to I-196: Friday 9 p.m.-Saturday 3 p.m.
  • Single lane closure on EB I-196 from Lane Ave to Ottawa Ave: Friday 9 p.m.-Saturday 3 p.m.
  • Ramp closure from Pearl to NB US-131: Friday 9 p.m.-Saturday 3 p.m.
  • Ramp closure from SB US-131 to EB I-196: Friday 9 p.m.-June 10
  • Ramp closure from Ottawa to EB I-196: Saturday midnight-1 a.m.

Check the MiDrive Website for more information.

Construction rerouting Westbound I-196 April 1 through August

A map showing the detour for I-196 construction. The map directs westbound drivers to plan to take the I-96 intersection (just west of the East Beltline) and to stay on I-96 W until reaching 131-South, which should be taken until it reconnects with I-196 just after that highway crosses the Grand River.

Starting this Monday, April 1, the Michigan Department of Transportation will begin a construction project to reconstruct and widen Westbound I-196 over the Grand River.

A complete closure of Westbound I-196 from Ottawa Ave to Lane Ave will be in place from April-August.

Westbound I-196 will be closed prior to US-131, so US-131 traffic will be detoured to I-96 as show on the map above. Ramp closures at the US-131/I-196 interchange in Downtown Grand Rapids will also take place beginning April 1.

Please note: Westbound I-196 will be open to the Ottawa Exit, but all remaining traffic on WB I-196 must exit at Ottawa.

NEW INFORMATION:

Additionally, Scribner Avenue under I-196 will be closed April 2 – August 31 due to the westbound I-196 bridge construction.  Traffic will be detoured to Broadway Ave NW, as shown on the map below:

Map showing the section of Scribner closed underneath I-196 and the official detour route on Broadway Ave NW.

Multiple road closures in downtown Grand Rapids this Thursday

The City of Grand Rapids has announced street and parking lot closures for Thursday as part of a large event at Van Andel Arena. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The immediate streets around Van Andel Arena, 130 Fulton St. W., will be closed starting at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28. The street closures are expected to last until about 8:30 p.m. They are:

  • Fulton Street West from Ottawa to Ionia
  • Weston Street SW west of Ionia
  • Oakes Street SW from Ottawa to Ionia
  • Ottawa Avenue SW from Fulton to Oakes

The Area 2 lot on Oakes Street SW and Area 3 lot on Ionia Avenue SW will be closed to all users starting at midnight Wednesday through midnight Thursday. All access cardholders for these lots will have access to the Louis Campau ramp on Monroe Avenue NW and McConnell Ionia lot on McConnell Street SW during that time.

Metered parking will not be allowed in the following areas:

  • Ottawa Avenue NW between Oakes and Fulton
  • Oakes Street SW between Grandville and Market
  • Weston Street SW between Ottawa and Grandville
  • Weston Street SW west of Ionia
  • Lot at Fulton Street SW and Ionia

The event is expected to draw between 10,000 and 12,000 attendees. With road closures and additional motorists and pedestrians, downtown travelers can expect heavy traffic and possible delays.

Personnel from the Grand Rapids and Wyoming police departments, Kent County Sheriff’s Department, and Michigan State Police will be on hand to direct traffic and help ensure the public’s safety.

Construction to affect Westbound I-196 from April through August

A map showing the detour for I-196 construction. The map directs westbound drivers to plan to take the I-96 intersection (just west of the East Beltline) and to stay on I-96 W until reaching 131-South, which should be taken until it reconnects with I-196 just after that highway crosses the Grand River.

Starting this Monday, April 1, the Michigan Department of Transportation will begin a construction project to reconstruct and widen Westbound I-196 over the Grand River.

A complete closure of Westbound I-196 from Ottawa Ave to Lane Ave will be in place from April-August.

Ramp closures at the US-131/I-196 interchange in Downtown Grand Rapids will also take place beginning April 1.

Please note: Westbound I-196 will be open to the Ottawa Exit, but all remaining traffic on WB I-196 MUST EXIT AT OTTAWA.

Westbound I-196 will be closed prior to US-131, so US-131 traffic will be detoured to I-96 as show on the map above.