One of the most iconic structures of Grand Rapids' skylines (and the bane of many driver's existences during rush hour) is the 1.2-mile stretch of US-131 that goes across the Grand River and bends around the city locally known as the S-Curve because of its shape (no brainer).

Magic 104.9 logo
Get our free mobile app

As a 1999 baby, this version of the S-Curve is all I know. The S-Curve we have today is very different from how it was before it was reconstructed in 2000. However, today's design is thanks to an unexpected ally in the S-Curve project: Grand Valley State University.

Getty Images
Getty Images
loading...

S-Curve Reconstruction

Constructed in 1961, the S-Curve served Grand Rapids as one of the most heavily trafficked highways in the State, with an average daily traffic load of approximately 110,000 vehicles.

Bill Phillips via MDOT
Bill Phillips via MDOT
loading...

However, there were known issues with the freeway including the curve causing many accidents, short on-ramps, and a low speed limit that made rush hour a nightmare. Plus, by 2000, much of Grand Rapids had experienced a bit of a boom in growth that the S-curve did not account for, making it generally unfit for the area.

TSM
TSM
loading...

So when a major structural issue was discovered in 1998 that required emergency repairs, the City jumped at the opportunity to reconstruct the whole S-Curve to bring it up with the times rather than performing a patch job. But there were a few issues the City needed to address, and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) had a big role to play in solving them.

GVSU via Facebook
GVSU via Facebook
loading...

Grand Valley's Crucial Input

GVSU's Downtown PEW Campus was broken up by the S-Curve with buildings on both sides of the curve. When reconstruction talks were underway, GVSU consistently consulted with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to build a highway that didn't impede on GVSU any more than it already was.

Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
loading...

GVSU provided crucial input throughout the development of the new S-Curve:

  • Since most of the S-Curve was on university grounds, the university's contracting rules allowed it to contract faster than city or state agencies, so work on the S-Curve was able to be accelerated (which was crucial considering how busy this highway was, and how impactful it was having it closed).
  • The University hired a consultant to design the S-Curve whose designs were chosen by MDOT.

So if you're a fan of how the S-Curve looks and functions today, you have GVSU to thank for it. In total, the entire project took less than 2 years from when the issues were discovered. You can read about the entire reconstruction project here.

Google Earth
Google Earth
loading...

ArtPrize 2021 Returns To Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 16th

Photographs of past ArtPrize entries since 2009, in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Gallery Credit: Dave Benson

HOT ROD Drag Week at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan

Highlights of the 2016 Hot Rod Drag Week events.

Gallery Credit: Dave Benson, TSM

More From Magic 104.9