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Interstate 96

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Template:Cleanupint Template:Infobox Interstate/Intrastate Interstate 96 (abbreviated I-96) is an intrastate Interstate highway that is entirely within the U.S. state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US-31 and Bus. US-31, on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. From Detroit to Grand Rapids, it parallels Grand River Avenue, never straying more than a few miles from the decommissioned US-16.

The Wayne County portion of I-96 was originally named the Jeffries Freeway from its eastern terminus to the junction with I-275 and M-14 and was signed as such until Michigan removed proper names from Interstate guide signs in the 1980s. Though many area residents still refer to the freeway as "The Jeffries," the portion within the city of Detroit was renamed by the state legislature as the Rosa Parks Memorial Highway in December, 2005[1].

Route Description

Length of Interstate 96 by state[2]
 
State Miles Kilometers
Michigan 192.06 309.09
Total 192.06 309.09

The freeway begins with a 3/4 cloverleaf interchange with US 31 in Norton Shores. From the start it has a grassy median and 2 lanes in each direction. It travels southeast for a distance of around 10 miles. At this point it travels in an eastern direction with some east south east portions for 25 total miles. From here it travels south for around 3 miles where it links up with I-196. For the next 10 miles it travels in a south east direction. At this time it currently has weave merge lanes which expand the freeway to 4 lanes at points. For the next 25 miles or so if travels due east. At that point it then travels a south east direction for 18 miles. At that point is the I-69 interchange where it is co-signed with that interstate for the next 6.5 miles traveling due south. From here it has short 2 mile leg where it travels south east. At this point it travels east for 30 miles with several changes in direction where it travels northeast or southeast as it enters Livingston County.

Three miles from where I-96 enters Detroit is a massive interchange with M-39/Southfield Freeway. The interchange is called "Malfunction Junction" by some locals.

Lane configurations

  • between western terminus and I-196 (2 lanes on each side)
  • between I-196 and M-21 (3 lanes on each side; the right-most of the 3 eastbound lanes is actually an auxiliary lane connecting the on-ramp from 196 with the off-ramp to M-21)
  • between M-21 and milepost 86 (2 lanes on each side)
  • between milepost 86 and north-end merge with I-69 (3 WB, 2 EB lanes)
  • through the multiplex with I-69 (miles 90-97) on the west side of Lansing, MI (3 lanes on each side)
  • between south I-69 split and M-59 near Howell (2 lanes on each side)
  • between M-59 and I-275 (3 lanes on each side)
  • transition from I-696 onto I-275 (2 through lanes each way)
  • multiplexed with I-275 (4 lanes on each side, very short segment of 5 each side on approach to I-696/I-275/M-5 interchange)
  • ramps carrying I-96 from I-275 to Jeffries Freeway (2 lanes on each side)
  • between M-14 and Outer Drive (4 lanes on each side)
  • between Outer Drive and Davison Avenue (2+ local, 3 express; on each side)
  • between Davison Avenue and eastern terminus (4 lanes on each side)
  • See M-5 for the lane configurations of the leftover stub after I-96 joins I-275.

Major cities

Interstate 96 – Major cities
Officially designated control cities in bold.[3]

Interchanges with other freeways

For a complete exit list for Interstate 96, see Exit List of Interstate 96 in Michigan.

Interstate 96 uses a mile-based exit system for its entire length; each exit number corresponds to the next highest milepost number. The mile numbers increase as the highways progresses from west to east. Moving from the Muskegon area to Detroit, Interstate 96 has interchanges with the following four-lane or higher limited access freeways/expressways:[4][5]

Intersecting Route Exit/Mile
Number 		Location Link
US-31 1 Norton Shores Google Maps link
Interstate 296 (unsigned)
US-131		 31 North of metro Grand Rapids Google Maps link
Interstate 196
"Gerald R. Ford Freeway"		 37 Grand Rapids Google Maps link
M-6
"Paul B. Henry Freeway"
"South Beltline Freeway"		 46 East of metro Grand Rapids Google Maps link
Interstate 69 East 89/91 Lansing Google Maps link
Begin Interstate 96 / Interstate 69 multiplex
Interstate 496
"Ransom E. Olds Freeway"		 95 Lansing Google Maps link
Interstate 69 South 97 Lansing Google Maps link
End Interstate 96 / Interstate 69 multiplex
Interstate 496
US-127		 106 South side of Lansing Google Maps link
US-23 148 Brighton Google Maps link
Interstate 275
Interstate 696
"Walter P. Reuther Freeway"
M-5		 163/164/165 Farmington Hills/Novi border Google Maps link
Begin Interstate 96 / Interstate 275 multiplex
Interstate 275 South
M-14		 171/172
(unsigned)		 Livonia/Plymouth border Google Maps link
End Interstate 96 / Interstate 275 multiplex
M-39
"Southfield Freeway"		 183 Detroit Google Maps link
Interstate 94
"Edsel Ford Freeway"		 190 Detroit Google Maps link
Interstate 75
"Fisher Freeway"		 192
(unsigned)		 Detroit Google Maps link

Spur routes

History

Interstate 96 was constructed in stages, that opened to traffic between 1957 and 1977. Most of these segments of freeway were already being planned as bypasses and replacements for the parallel route of U.S. 16.

Beginnings

1958 Route numbering plan for Michigan's Interstate highways.

When the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, which created the Interstate Highway System, was enacted in June 1956, several routes were planned and considered for Michigan. As late as 1958, the route paralleling U.S. 16 from Muskegon to Detroit was conceived as two different Interstate numbers: as Interstate 94N from Muskegon to Grand Rapids, and Interstate 94 (coming from Chicago) from Grand Rapids to downtown Detroit.[6] When the plan was finalized, Interstate 94 from Benton Harbor to Detroit was replaced with Interstate 96, and the route from Muskegon to Grand Rapids was rechristened Interstate 196. (The route that is currently designated Interstate 94 from Benton Harbor to Detroit through Kalamazoo was originally planned as Interstate 92).[7]

The first limited access expressways that were later to be designated as parts of Interstate 96 were opened to traffic in 1957: the 22 mile long "Brighton-Farmington Expressway" from Brighton to Farmington, the 8 mile U.S. 16 (future Interstate 196) freeway from Coopersville to Marne, and the 9 mile U.S. 16 freeway from Portland (present-day exit 77) to the M-100 interchange (present-day exit 86) near Eagle.[8] By 1960, the freeway in central Michigan was completed from southeast of Cascade to the Portland area. During this period, that freeway and the "Brighton-Farmington Expressway" were first signed as Interstate 96, and the freeway from Coopersville to Marne was first signed as Interstate 196.[7][9]

Numbering swap with Interstate 196

Late in 1961, and by 1962, the freeway in western Michigan was completed from its current terminus west of Muskegon to the existing freeway end southeast of Cascade; the portion from Muskegon to Grand Rapids was signed as Interstate 196 and the portion from Grand Rapids east was signed as Interstate 96. In late 1962, the 59 miles of remaining freeway between Eagle and Brighton were opened to traffic, and, at this time, U.S. 16 was decommissioned in Michigan.[7]

The largest single change in Interstate 96's routing occurred in 1963, when its routing with Interstate 196 west of Grand Rapids was swapped: Interstate 96 was redesignated along the Muskegon-to-Grand Rapids route, while Interstate 196 was redesignated along the still incomplete Benton Harbor-to-Grand Rapids route.[7][4]

Construction of the Jeffries Freeway

Originally, the route of Interstate 96 from the east end of the existing freeway in Farmington through Detroit, named the Jeffries Freeway (commonly referred to as simply "the Jeffries"), was to closely parallel Grand River Avenue (formerly U.S. 16). However, by 1963, several freeway revolts were taking place in urban locations throughout the country, including Detroit. Several of Detroit's planned freeways were modified, scaled back, or outright cancelled, and the Jeffries was no exception. To minimize the impact to existing communities and businesses, it was decided that the freeway would no longer utilize the Grand River Avenue corridor.[10] Instead, the new Interstate 96 freeway corridor would partially use the C&O Railroad right of way through the city of Livonia, and utilize the planned Interstate 275 freeway bypassing Detroit to the west to connect back to the existing freeway.[11]

The Jeffries Freeway (not yet signed as Interstate 96) was opened in stages in the early-1970s. The first two segments, opened in 1970 and 1971, connected Interstate 75 to Interstate 94, and Interstate 94 to Livernois Avenue, respectively.[7] The full freeway-to-freeway connection ramps to the planned Davison Freeway were opened in 1973, in another extension of the Jeffries Freeway to Grand River Avenue.[7] In 1975, the Jeffries was completed westward to the Southfield Freeway (M-39), and, about this time, the Jeffries Freeway was signed as Interstate 96, leaving a gap in the routing between Farmington and the M-39 interchange.[7]

When a portion of the new Interstate 275 freeway opened from the existing Interstate 96 to the Schoolcraft Avenue in 1976, it was still not signed as Interstate 96. In 1977, the final portion of the Jeffries Freeway through Livonia (from Interstate 275 east to the end of the existing Jeffries Freeway) opened to traffic, and with that, the final segment of Interstate 96 in general.[12] The Interstate 96 routing was assigned along the Interstate 275 freeway south to the Jeffries Freeway, and eastward along the new freeway to the M-39 interchange, and the remaining stub of Interstate 96 around Farmington was redesignated as an extension of M-102 (now M-5).

Subsequent history

Since the completion of Interstate 96 in 1977, several expansions of the freeway have taken place, including the addition of a third lane in each direction for most of the eastern half of the route. Beginning in 1984, a southerly extension of the U.S. 27 freeway (later to become Interstate 69) bypassing Lansing opened; U.S. 27 was then co-signed with Interstate 96 along the western side of Lansing. Three years later, the Interstate 69 designation was applied to this new bypass, resulting in a rare triple-concurrency (I-96/I-69/U.S. 27) that existed until 2002, when U.S. 27 was decommissioned in Michigan.[7]

On January 12, 2005, a massive pile-up consisting of over 200 motor vehicles occurred in both directions of Interstate 96 near Williamston in Ingham County. Two people were killed in the incident, one of the largest multi-vehicle collisions in U.S. history, which was blamed on heavy fog.[13]

From 2003 to 2005, the Beck Road interchange (exit 160) in Novi was reconstructed as a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI), the first in the metropolitan Detroit area and the first on Interstate 96, at a cost of $46 million.[14] A similar reconstruction is currently planned for the nearby Wixom Road interchange.[4]

Future

While Interstate 96 is, for the most part, a complete route, there are a few minor changes planned or being considered for the future.

Ambassador Bridge connection

At this time, there is no direct freeway access to the Ambassador Bridge at the United States/Canada border; only a short surface street connection exists between the bridges' approaches and the nearby Interstates 75 and 96. The construction of an Interstate connection between I-75 and the bridge was mandated by the 1998 National Highway System Act; this most likely would take the form of an easterly extension of Interstate 96 directly to the bridge.[15] However, the actual construction of this connection faces several obstacles, including the projected high cost and local impact.[4]

Additional interchanges

Currently, another interchange at Latson Road in Howell is planned and under study, pending right of way acquisition. This interchange would bring improved access to the eastern Howell area, which is currently only accessible from westbound Interstate 96.[16] The reconstruction of the Wixom Road interchange near Novi as a Single Point Urban Interchange is also planned in the future.[17]

Grand Rapids area work

The eastbound remodel starts north of Leonard St. Leonard St exit will be realigned and a new loop entrance ramp from Leonard to I-96 eastbound replaces the existing entrance. At the point where the present entrance from Leonard merges with the interstate, a new single lane exit to I-196 Westbound will be built at level ground. After the I-196 exit, the present freeway will be used as the M-37/M-44 exit ramp and a new 2 lane freeway will be constructed in the median. Through lanes and exit lanes will be built on level ground, passing under a new westbound 3-lane I-196 bridge before new Eastbound I-196 traveling lanes merge into the through lanes. I-96 passes under a widened M-37/M-44 bridge with 4 lanes and increases to 5 lanes with the M-37/M-44 entrance ramp. After passing over a railroad with an expanded bridge, I-96 drops 2 lanes for exits with M-21 (Fulton St). The present exit to eastbound M-21 will be retained in all aspects and a new exit to westbound M-21 built. An improved Michigan Left turn will be built about 100 feet west of the present one for the connection from westbound M-21 to eastbound I-96. A new entrance from eastbound M-21 to eastbound I-96 will be built using almost all of the right of way. This section also adds a third eastbound traveling lane along with a weave merge lane to Cascade Rd. This ends the eastbound remodel.

The westbound remodel begins where the eastbound ends at Cascade Road. The entrance ramp from Cascade Road adds a westbound weave merge lane. A new westbound exit from the interstate to both east and west M-21 will be built. A minor adjustment of the present intersection maybe required but a new signal will be installed. Some right of way will be acquired to facilitate this new ramp and the retaining wall. When it passes over the railroad on its way to the M-37/M-44 interchange it will have a widened bridge for the new traveling lane. The present weave merge lane will be kept between M-21 and M-37/M-44. A modified exit ramp will be done for M-37/M-44. Just before the freeway goes under the bridge a new 2 lane freeway splits off from itself to move vehicles pass Leonard and all the weaving and merging from M-37/M-44, I-196, and Leonard St. This will take the two left lanes of traffic. After the split the current freeway alignment will be used as a weave and merge lanes. The next paragraph details all of the merging and weaving of that section.

The first merging traffic comes from North M-37/M-44 which place M-37 onto I-96 until Alpine Ave. The next merging traffic comes from South M-44. This will only require an addition of one lane. Midway between the M-37/M-44 and Leonard stretch of freeway the I-196 exit ramp will be built using a new bridge, with the exit around the present location. This bridge will carry 3 lanes of traffic and will be the official start of that interstate. The I-96 weave merge lane will be reduced at this point to 2 lanes. The 2nd lane on the right will be used as a splitter with traffic either staying on I-96 or going to I-196. This will give the southbound M-44 entrance ramp about the same amount of distance to merge into the 2nd lane to get onto I-196. After less than a quarter mile one lane of traffic will be split off and merged with new I-96 through lanes midway between Leonard and the splitting point. After that the new Eastbound I-196 to Westbound I-96 exit will be merged with the single weave merge lane just before Leonard St bridge. That exit ramp will go over 7 sets of freeway traffic using one long bridge. After the bridge the weave merge lanes will use the present Leonard St exit then become a single lane until the present Leonard St entrance ramp merges with it. After that merging it will finally merge with I-96 traffic. A final note is that the 2 lanes of through traffic for I-96 will use the present freeway at the point it gets a merging lane with the weave merge before Leonard. At that point an addition lane of traffic will be added to the present freeway.

The ability to add lanes between the present freeways in the median is possible since the width of the grassy median is over 50 feet.

Notes

  • I-96 is an intrastate Interstate.
  • I-96 is the highest numbered even (east-west) Interstate. Only Interstates 97 and 99 are higher.
  • Interestingly, the law[1] renaming the Detroit portion of I-96 to the "Rosa Parks Memorial Highway" is incorrect as it refers M-24—which I-96 never intersects—instead of US-24. Nevertheless, MDOT was able to figure it out and erect the signs anyhow.
  • The duplex with I-69 is the only palindromic concurrency — or intersection, for that matter — in the Interstate system.
  • I-96 was originally intended to shadow Grand River Avenue within Detroit's city limits and was actually completed along this route into Farmington. Local opposition killed this project, so prior to the Jeffries opening through Livonia in the 1977, I-96 was relocated onto it. The Farmington stub was redesignated as an extension to M-102 and now bears the designation of M-5.
  • Furthermore when the interchange with Davison Avenue (present day exit 186) was constructed, it was expected that the Davison Freeway was to be extended to meet up with the Jeffries. Accordingly it was built as a full freeway-to-freeway interchange, but before the Jeffries was completed both the Davison extension was cancelled and I-96 was rerouted. This left both an interchange far larger than traffic dictates and I-96 following an elbow that has it intersecting with the straight Grand River Ave. twice within two miles.
  • MDOT and the FHWA disagree on the designation of the Livonia to Farmington Hills stretch of I-96. MDOT signs this 6 mile (10 km) segment as a duplex with I-275. However, FHWA maintains that I-275's northern terminus is at the I-96/M-14 intersection near Plymouth and therefore this stretch should only be labeled I-96. Although the mile markers and exit numbers continue with I-96's sequence, local residents tend to refer to this leg of I-96 primarily as I-275; the designation distinctly separates the Jeffries Freeway portion of I-96 from the portion of the highway west of I-696.

References

  1. ^ a b MICHIGAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY ACT (EXCERPT) Act 142 of 2001, 250.1098 Rosa Parks Memorial Highway. Michigan Legislature (accessed August 18, 2006)
  2. ^ Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
  3. ^ List of Control Cities for Use in Guide Signs on Interstate Highways. (Accessed September 2, 2006).
  4. ^ a b c d Interstate 96 @ Interstate-Guide.com. Interstate-Guide.com. (Accessed August 18, 2006)
  5. ^ Google Maps. Google. (Accessed January 13 2006)
  6. ^ Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways American Association of State Highway Officials. (Accessed August 18, 2006)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Michigan Highways: Highways 90 through 99. Michigan Highways. (Accessed August 18, 2006)
  8. ^ Michigan Highways: Historic U.S. 16 (page 2). Michigan Highways. (Accessed August 18, 2006)
  9. ^ Michigan Highways: 180 through 199. Michigan Highways. (Accessed August 18, 2006)
  10. ^ Bessert, Chris (2000-08-03). "Never-built Detroit Freeways [was Re: MDOT finally recognizes M-8]". Newsgroup: misc.transport.road. Retrieved 2006-08-19. {{cite newsgroup}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Bessert, Chris (2001-01-29). "A plethora of questions for Michigan roads". Newsgroup: misc.transport.road. Retrieved 2006-08-19. {{cite newsgroup}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Michigan Highways: Highways 250 through 696. Michigan Highways. (Accessed September 1, 2006).
  13. ^ "Police continue investigation of massive I-96 accident". The State News. January 20, 2005. (Accessed September 2, 2006).
  14. ^ Beck Road & I-96 SPUI. City of Novi, Michigan. (Accessed September 2, 2006).
  15. ^ High Priority Corridors @ AARoads.com: Interstate 69 (Corridors 18 and 20). AARoads.com. (Accessed September 3, 2006)
  16. ^ 2006-2010 Five Year Transportation Program: Expanding the System. Michigan Department of Transportation. 7. (Accessed September 3, 2006).
  17. ^ 2006-2010 Five Year Transportation Program: Expanding the System. Michigan Department of Transportation. 7. (Accessed September 3, 2006).
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