On-going Construction Activities:

US-31 is a principal arterial serving north-south traffic in Michigan's western lower peninsula, extending from the Indiana state line north to a point just south of Mackinaw City. This route serves commercial and recreational areas on the entire west side of the state. The US-31 Freeway project in Berrien County has been under development for over 30 years. The objective of the project has been to provide a freeway from the Indiana-Michigan border (and the Interstate 80 toll road just to the south) to a logical terminus at the I-94/I-196 interchange. This proposed freeway has been constructed up to Berrien Springs, just south of the St. Joseph River. As illustrated in Figure 4.0, the segment of US-31 from the St. Joseph River to Napier Avenue is under various stages of construction, and is planned to be completed by 2003. The current US-31 Freeway Connection to I-94 project will seek to provide a cost effective and environmentally sensitive alternative to complete the segment of US-31 between Napier Avenue and I-94.

Figure 3.0 - US-31 Freeway Connection to I-94 Project Timeline

Historical Overview:

• 1967-1970 - Corridor Location Study: A Corridor Location Study was initiated in 1967 and completed in 1970 after several amendments that resulted from public hearings and new federal regulations. This study recommended that the US-31 freeway be established along a corridor traversing to the west of Berrien Springs.

• 1972 - Engineering Report No. 1803: Engineering Report 1803, a Design Study Report approved by the state Highway Commission, established an alignment for the US-31 freeway from Matthew Road north to I-94.

• 1978 - 1981 - Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and final Engineering Report: In 1978, following the guidelines of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), MDOT prepared an Environmental Impact Statement to document social, economic and environmental impacts associated with the US-31 project. A FEIS and a final Engineering Report to provide a freeway from Matthew Road to the I-94/I-196 interchange was approved by the Federal Highway Administration. The construction of the US-31 freeway was approved and scheduled to be completed by 1985. However, construction was delayed by funding constraints and the southern portion was not completed until 1993.
  
  
• 1991 - Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly listed as an Endangered Species: By 1991, new potential environmental impacts were identified in the northern segment at the proposed crossing of Blue Creek. This stream/fen complex was determined by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support viable populations of the now State and Federally-Endangered Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly (shown in Figure 5.0). It was determined by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service that the construction of the proposed bridge over the Blue Creek fen would jeopardize the continued existence of the species.
  
  MDOT has conducted ongoing consultation with state and federal regulatory agencies to develop means to avoid and minimize impacts to the fen. To learn more about the Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) web-site.
  
  
• 1998- Value Engineering (VE) study: In 1998 a Value Engineering (VE) study was completed with a recommendation to modify the northern portion of the freeway. Instead of traversing in a northerly direction from Napier Avenue to the I-196/I-94 interchange, a freeway alternative which would turn westerly and connect to I-94 in the vicinity of BL I-94 was identified as the Recommended Alternative for further evaluation to potentially reduce the costs of an I-196 terminus.
  
  
• April 2001-2002 - Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) : Due to the high costs associated with constructing the necessary I-196/I-94 interchange structures, as well as the expansive bridge structures which would be required to cross the Blue Creek Fen, MDOT is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The SEIS will identify a Recommended Alternative which will provide a freeway connection between Napier Avenue and I-94. Alternatives to be examined will include the "No-action Alternative, reassessing the 1981 FEIS alignment, and evaluating the alternatives developed as part of the 1998 Value Engineering study.