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Two Highway Backups Converge Into One Giant Traffic Jam

Posted at 8:37 AM, Sep 09, 2013
and last updated 2013-09-09 08:37:45-04

09-09-13 131 at 196 traffic jamGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A miles-long traffic jam on southbound US-131 delayed workers and students Monday morning.

In reality, it was two backups that merged into one epic traffic jam.

Initially, one lane of southbound US-131 was blocked around Hall Street, and traffic backed up into the S-Curve in short order.

Meanwhile, southbound traffic was becoming heavy at US-131 and Ann Street. When that happens, traffic backs up as far as Post Drive as well as on eastbound I-96 from drivers trying to merge onto southbound US-131.

The backup caused by the Hall Street accident got to the point where the two traffic jams met at Ann Street, which meant traffic was at a crawl for several miles beginning at Post Drive north of Grand Rapids.

The crash near Hall Street was finally cleared around 8:30 a.m., but it took quite a while for the traffic jam to dissipate.