The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has finished a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study for the US-131 corridor. The study covers the area between Cherry Street and M-11 (28th Street) in Grand Rapids and Wyoming. This section was designed in the 1940s and built in the 1950s and 1960s. It now carries between 110,000 and 140,000 vehicles each day. It is the busiest road in Michigan outside Metro Detroit.
MDOT worked with the City of Grand Rapids and local stakeholders to assess current conditions. The study reviewed safety, congestion, and operational issues. Proposed changes include adding shoulders, changing lane configurations, and reworking interchanges. The goal is to improve safety, traffic flow, and access for nonmotorized users, while reducing effects on nearby neighborhoods.
MDOT held regular meetings to collect community feedback and provide updates. The next phase will begin in 2026 and will focus on the Wealthy Street interchange near downtown Grand Rapids. This phase will use a $10 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the State Legislature…