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Interstate 96 |
Western Terminus: US 31, 2 miles southeast of Muskegon ¬ 192.3 miles ® Eastern Terminus: I-75, Detroit |
Western Terminus |
There is currently no coverage of the Western Terminus of I-96.
If you can get any photographs of this endpoint, at US 31 southeast of
Muskegon, please contact Dan. |
Historic Eastern Terminus (1958 - 1977) |
For the first 19 years of its life, I-96's eastern terminus was in Farmington Hills at the eastern end of the then Brighton - Farmington Expressway at Grand River Avenue, northwest of Middlebelt Road. Originally, I-96 was multiplexed with US 16, then US 16 continued southeastward along Grand River Avenue from that interchange into downtown Detroit. In 1962, US 16 was decommissioned, then replaced with a BS I-96 designation. By 1977, with the completion of I-275 and the Jeffries Freeway, I-96 was re-routed onto its current path along I-275 and the Jeffries Freeway. At that time, the former route of I-96 became an extension of M-102, which then followed Grand River Avenue to 8 Mile Road, where the M-5 designation then took over for M-102, which turned onto east 8 Mile Road. However, in 1994, M-102 was truncated to the intersection of Grand River Avenue and 8 Mile Road, and M-5 was extended over Grand River Avenue and the former I-96 freeway up to the I-96 / I-275 / I-696 interchange. Now, M-5 continues north from that humongous interchange on a new eight-lane expressway. |
As east M-5 approaches the
eastern end of its freeway stretch, a pair of FREEWAY ENDS 3/4 MILE diamond
advisory signs are present. The overpass in the background is
Orchard Lake Road. (PHOTO # 1: Dan Garnell | November 12, 2002) |
Another diamond advisory
sign designates the end of the M-5 freeway, as well as the historic
eastern terminus of I-96, at the point where Grand River Avenue merges
in. The four-lane M-5 freeway turns into an eight-lane divided
boulevard as of this point. (PHOTO # 2: Dan Garnell | December 28, 2002) |
This photo shows what was
once the starting point of west I-96, as seen from west M-5 as it
splits off of Grand River Avenue. (PHOTO # 3: Dan Garnell | December 28, 2002) |
Eastern Terminus |
The basic layout of I-96's eastern terminus at I-75 near downtown Detroit is a directional "Y" interchange. However, US 12, M-10, and the Ambassador Bridge interchange all play a role in making the interchange between I-96 and I-75 a somewhat complex configuration. |
The first mention of the
upcoming I-75 interchange on east I-96 is this guide sign, located 1.25
miles before the endpoint, in the midst of I-96's interchange with
I-94. The
bridge on which the sign is mounted carries the ramp from east I-96 to
east I-94. (PHOTO # 1: Dan Garnell | March 4, 2003) |
|
A sequence of three sets of
overhead signs stand over east I-96 as it approaches its eastern
terminus, which show where the different lanes go at the interchange. The far left lane ultimately left merges into north
I-75, while the left-center lane hooks into a connector to M-10, which
straddles north I-75 for 0.75 mile. The right two lanes lead to
south I-75. I-96, however, does not end with the divergence of the
two left lanes from the two right lanes. The I-96
designation continues for another 0.5 mile along the ramp to south I-75,
to the exit for the Ambassador Bridge, which spans the Detroit River
between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. (PHOTOS # 2 - 4: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
At the exit for the bridge
to Canada, there is an END I-96 shield which marks the official end to
the intrastate Interstate. This is a rare case for signing an
endpoint in Michigan, as the normal MDOT standard is to place an ENDS
plate beneath the route marker. The two lanes which carried the
I-96 designation to this point merge in with south I-75 just ahead. (PHOTO # 5: Dan Garnell | July 9, 2002) |
This is the first
reassurance marker for I-96 in the westbound direction, located where
the ramps from north I-75, south I-75, and M-10 converge to form west
I-96. (PHOTO # 6: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
|
A progression of three
overhead signs along north I-75 located at 1.5 miles, 1 mile, and 0.25
mile, respectively, before the I-96 interchange, each feature a diagram
denoting the possible lane maneuvers at the upcoming split. (PHOTOS # 7 - 9: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
On the Lafayette Boulevard
overpass, just before west I-96 begins upon splitting from north I-75,
are these lane distribution signs. Two lanes of the five north
I-75 has entering into the interchange are yielded to west I-96, while
three are maintained for north I-75. (PHOTO # 10: Dan Garnell | October 19, 2002) |
The first acknowledgement of
the upcoming I-96 interchange on south I-75 is 0.75 mile away, on the
Trumbull Avenue bridge. (PHOTO # 11: Dan Garnell | December 19, 2002) |
The right lane of south I-75
becomes exit only to west I-96. (PHOTO # 12: Dan Garnell | December 19, 2002) |
This is the gantry present
at the exit for west I-96 on south I-75. (PHOTO # 13: Dan Garnell | December 19, 2002) |
Upon emerging from the
Ambassador Bridge, motorists will arrive at a traffic light with the
north I-75 service drive, which from this perspective comes in from the
left and then goes straight ahead through the signalized intersection.
Immediately after the light, a direct ramp to west I-96 splits off of
the north I-75 service drive. A second ramp promptly splits off of
the service drive after the I-96 ramp, this one serving north I-75.
Traffic to south I-75 must utilize the service drive. (PHOTO # 14: Dan Garnell | January 3, 2003) |
At the split of the ramp to
west I-96 from the north I-75 service drive are these shields. TO
I-94 shields accompany the west I-96 markers. This ramp merges in
with west I-96 immediately after the split from north I-75. (PHOTO # 15: Dan Garnell | January 3, 2003) |
This guide sign stands on
north M-10 as it approaches the I-75 interchange. Traffic can go
from M-10 to I-96 without actually merging into mainline south I-75,
courtesy of an extended ramp which parallels south I-75 to the right. (PHOTO # 16: Dan Garnell | March 4, 2003) |
The gantry present at the
split of the ramp from north M-10 to south and north I-75, respectively,
also features a TO I-96 shield which points to the south I-75 ramp. (PHOTO # 17: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
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On the connector from M-10
to I-96 are three sets of overhead signs which direct traffic wishing to
access I-96 to use the right lane. The left lane leads to south
I-75. (PHOTOS # 18 - 20: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
This is the gore signage
present between the ramps to south I-75 and west I-96, respectively. (PHOTO # 21: Dan Garnell | April 28, 2003) |
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©
2002-03, Michigan Highway Ends
Page Created: July 21, 2002
Last Updated: May 5, 2003