Major Grand Rapids Bridge Over 131 to Close for 9 Months

If you drive through downtown Grand Rapids as a part of your commute, get ready to start planning some new routes. A major bridge connecting the city over U.S. 131 is about to go offline for nine whole months starting next year.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) just announced plans to shut down the Martin Luther King Jr. Street bridge that goes over and connects to US-131, for a $30 million reconstruction project.

And yes, that means completely closed (no traffic, no through access, nothing.)

The work will focus on replacing the section of the bridge that stretches from the northbound U.S. 131 ramps to the east end of the bridge.

That might not sound like much, but anyone who’s tried to get from Grand Rapids’ southeast neighborhoods into downtown knows that this intersection is a lifeline, especially during weekday rush hours.

Even though construction crews won’t be rebuilding the northbound on- and off-ramps to U.S. 131, both will still be shut down for the duration of the project, just to keep the area safe for workers.

This stretch of MLK Jr. Street is a major connector in the heart of the city, linking neighborhoods, small businesses, and commuters to the downtown core. Losing it (even temporarily) will definitely cause some growing pains, especially with already tight traffic flow on city streets.

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No official detour routes have been announced yet, but drivers are encouraged to start thinking ahead. With a nine-month closure on deck, it’s a good idea to build in some extra time—or get familiar with some back roads—before the cones go up.

Stay tuned for updates as MDOT gets closer to announcing exact dates and plans.