NUNICA, Mich. — Last year, drivers on I-96 between Grand Rapids and Muskegon knew they could encounter lane closures at 112th Avenue at any time. This year, it will be deja vu all over again.
The junction of I-96, 112th Avenue, Apple Drive, and M-104 is the northern terminus of what will eventually be M-231, which will run between I-96 and Lake Michigan Drive. In 2012, the Michigan Department of Transportation replaced the 112th Street Bridge over I-96 and some ramps attached to the bridge.
This year, two new bridges will be built which will carry eastbound and westbound I-96 the ramps from M-231 to westbound I-96. Repairs will be done to three other bridges in the area: Apple Drive over I-96; and eastbound and westbound I-96 over M-104.
All of this will again affect people driving between the Grand Rapids area and Grand Haven/Spring Lake.
The lane closures will begin this week already, well ahead of the usual road construction season, which traditionally begins in April. Crews will be laying down special pavement markings so that, eventually, eastbound traffic on I-96 will be moved over onto the westbound lanes.
