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Turner Avenue ramp to southbound US-131 closes for two weeks in Grand Rapids

Turner Avenue ramp to southbound US-131 closes for two weeks in Grand Rapids

Built World Grand Rapids, MI local

MDOT reopened the Leonard Street/Turner Avenue ramp Oct. 13; bridge repairs north of downtown keep some lanes closed into November

October 13th, 2026: Turner Avenue ramp open again to southbound US-131

Overview

Updated Oct 23

The Leonard Street/Turner Avenue on-ramp to southbound US-131 in Grand Rapids reopened Oct. 13, ending a closure that began Sept. 26. The two left lanes of southbound US-131 between Ann Street and Bridge Street reopened the evening before.

The ramp closed for a $1 million Michigan Department of Transportation project to repair the southbound US-131 bridge over northbound US-131 at I-196. Bridge repairs near Comstock Park keep southbound lanes past 6 Mile Road closed through mid-November, and the West River Drive on-ramp to southbound US-131 is still shut.

Why it matters

Commuters entering southbound US-131 from Grand Rapids' northwest side lose their closest on-ramp for two weeks and must reroute around downtown.

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Key Indicators

17 days
Closure length
Turner Avenue ramp to southbound US-131, Sept. 26 to Oct. 13.
Oct. 13
Ramp reopened
The Leonard Street/Turner Avenue on-ramp was open to traffic again, along with the closed lanes between Ann and Bridge streets.
$1M
Bridge project cost
MDOT's estimate for substructure, beam and barrier wall work on the southbound bridge over northbound US-131.

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Organizations Involved

Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
State agency
Finished the bridge work tied to the Turner Avenue closure; the ramp reopened to southbound US-131 traffic by Oct. 13.

MDOT builds and maintains Michigan's state trunkline highways, including US-131 and I-196 through Grand Rapids.

Timeline

September 2026 October 2026

4 events Latest: October 13th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Turner Avenue ramp open again to southbound US-131

    Latest Reopening

    The Leonard Street/Turner Avenue on-ramp was open to traffic again after the 17-day closure. The two left lanes of southbound US-131 between Ann and Bridge streets had reopened the evening before.

  2. Scheduled reopening date for the Turner Avenue ramp

    Closure

    MDOT's 17-day construction window ended on this date; the ramp and the closed lanes were open to traffic by the next morning.

  3. Turner Ave to southbound US-131 on-ramp closes

    Closure

    MDOT closes the ramp for construction, posting a detour and an Oct. 12 reopening date.

  4. MDOT starts $1 million bridge project on southbound US-131

    Construction

    Work began on the southbound US-131 bridge over northbound US-131 at I-196, with single and double lane closures between Ann Street and I-196. MDOT scheduled the Leonard Street/Turner Avenue ramp to close Sept. 24; its construction listing showed the closure starting Sept. 26.

Scenarios

1

Turner ramp reopens as scheduled Oct. 12

Deadline passed (Oct 13, 2026)

Discussed by: MDOT's official construction listing

Work finishes on schedule. MDOT's map shows the ramp open to traffic by end of day Oct. 12, and no extension notice appears on the construction listing.

2

Work runs late, ramp stays closed into late October

Deadline passed (Oct 15, 2026)

Discussed by: Experience Grand Rapids roadwork page

Rain or utility conflicts stretch the job. The ramp stays on MDOT's closed list past Oct. 12, possibly into late October, as MDOT posts a revised reopening date.

3

Ramp reopens early, before Oct. 12

Deadline passed (Oct 12, 2026)

Discussed by: No major source; low-probability outcome

Crews finish ahead of the 17-day window. The ramp shows open before Oct. 12, letting drivers resume the normal route earlier than planned.

Historical Context

One moment from history that rhymes with this story — and how it unfolded.

April-July 2016

2016 US-131 reconstruction closures

MDOT closed the Turner Avenue on-ramp to southbound US-131 from April 15 to July 7, 2016, while rebuilding the roadway between West River Drive and Pearl Street. The Leonard Street off-ramp was also shut for the same window.

Then

Traffic detoured to alternate ramps in downtown Grand Rapids for the construction period.

Now

The project finished within its schedule and the ramps reopened that July.

Why this matters now

The same ramp closes again in 2026 for similar work. It shows MDOT's seasonal construction pattern: advance notice, published closures, and detours.

Sources

(6)
Michigan Department of Transportation Experience Grand Rapids Michigan DOT WZZM 13 WOOD Radio / WTKG Michigan Department of Transportation