Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 5

www.lsj.com Lansing State Journal Wednesday, April 4, 2001 5A I GM shutdown, spring break a plus Commute: Morning drive holds very little surprise i r. A -y "I didn't go on a dry run. It's not like we're going to the moon." Marc Matlock East Lansing attorney a- Xk 4 Continued FROM 1A were comparable to typical midaf-ternoon traffic: A trip down Kalamazoo Avenue from Michigan State University to the Capitol is 3.5 miles. At 7:49 a.m. Tuesday, that trip took 10 minutes, 2 1 seconds 26 seconds longer than the same trip in midafter-noon last week.

Hit is 4.7 miles on Mt. Hope Road from Hagadorn Road in East Lansing to Washington Street in Lansing. At 8:05 a.m. Tuesday, that trip took 11 minutes, 30 seconds 2:20 longer than last week in midaf-ternoon traffic. It is 5.3 miles from Grand River Avenue in East Lansing to the Capitol.

At 7:10 a.m., that trip was 11 minutes, 40 seconds 2:40 faster than in midafternoon last week. On Tuesday, rush-hour traffic began much earlier than usual. Oakland Avenue, normally silent at 6:30 a.m., had a steady flow of traffic that early. At 8:15 a.m. cars were moving at 20 mph on Cedar Street and sometimes as fast as 35 mph near Mt.

Hope. On Oakland Avenue at 8:30 a.m., cars were going as fast as 45 mph for long stretches. Both roads were recommended by MDOT as primary alternate routes. "This was just good planning by motorists," said MDOT spokeswoman Kari Debnar. "They got the message.

It seemed almost like a normal rush hour." The Capital Area Transportation Continued FROM 1A naw Street. Matlock headed west to the Fran-dor Shopping Center with two detours in mind but waited until he neared U.S. 127 before making a decision. "I want to scout the scene," he said. Traffic was light, so he decided to head north, turning onto U.S.

127 and traveling west on Lake Lansing Road. He then turned left on Business Route 27 and took it to South Cedar Street. The detour continued west on Baker Street and doubled back along South Washington Avenue before he turned into his law firm offices. Total trip: 16 minutes. Six minutes longer than usual.

The expressway from Pine Street to U.S. 127 is expected to be closed until early August. During that time, 1-496 from Pine Street west to Interstate 96 will remain open.1 After the first phase is completed, 1-496 from Pine Street west to 1-96 will be under construction from early August until early October. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction. The project will force about 40,000 motorists including Matlock to use Lansing city streets instead.

5.1 in i. Up to 65,000 motorists use 1-496 each day. But the project will not affect the 25,000 drivers who travel along the expressway between 1-96 and Pine Street. "Apparently the repairs are pretty extensive, but it does need work," Matlock he said. "It does need resurfacing, it could also need a third lane going east." He said he would leave his office at 6 p.m.

to avoid the evening rush hour. Matlock said he would grow accustomed to the new commute and he is happy he didn't go overboard in preparing for the disruption. "I gave it some thought, but I didn't go on a dry run. It's not like we're going to the moon." Contact Robert Snell at 377-1052 or rsnelllsj.com. CHRIS HOLMESLansing State Journal Big project: Repairs to Interstate 496 get under way Tuesday.

The $42.4 million project is the area's biggest since the highway was built in 1968-69. Authority said it had more riders "We saw strong ridership for the couple weeks for us to get a good than usual in the early morning commute," said Pat Gilbert, CATA's picture of how this is going to shake Tuesday but wouldn't have official director of marketing. "This is out." numbers available until this spring break week so we will keep Contact Tom Gantert at 377-1194 morning. watching. This is going to take a ortgantertlsj.com.

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