WASHINGTON, D.C. — A $20 million federal grant awarded to the Michigan Department of Transportation will help the state complete the long-awaited permanent connection of U.S. 31 to I-94 in Berrien County.
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton announced the discretionary-grant funding on Thursday. It’ll be used to complete the US-31 relocation project from Napier Avenue to I-94, east of Benton Harbor.
In 2003, a nearly 10-mile-long stretch of highway was completed between Berrien Springs and Napier Avenue in Benton Township. But the final leg of the project has been in limbo since then. Completing the last two miles of limited-access US-31 will help ease traffic congestion.
In a news release sent by his Washington office on Thursday, Congressman Upton said:
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph
“We’re so excited to announce this project will be completed – finally. For years, we have been working diligently with local, state, and national leaders to get this done. The Department of Transportation has long-said ‘hang on, help is on the way’ and that day has now come. Completing this project will ensure Southwest Michigan remains a hub for economic competitiveness, jobs, and growth now and into the future.”
The grant comes from the Department of Transportation (DOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program.
