GRAND RAPIDS - The state Department of Transportation called the city's S-Curve "by far the largest and most complex civil engineering project ever launched in West Michigan."

Due to the work of the building trades and Kiewit Western Co. the reconstruction of the mile-long portion of U.S. 131 through the downtown area opened to traffic 35 days early after being closed since Jan. 17.

"This is phenomenal news that everyone should be celebrating," said State Transportation Director James DeSana. "Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved with this project, west Michigan has survived what was predicted to be the traffic storm of the century. The staff's dedication to this project and the perseverance of west Michigan drivers has paid off."
Kiewit, the prime contractor on the $165 million project, earned a $1.75 million bonus for the early freeway opening.

"From the beginning, we knew that if we pulled together as a community we could survive this," said Grand Region Engineer Steven J. Earl. "Those who felt closing the S-Curve would be the end of Grand Rapids didn't give the people of west Michigan nearly enough credit."

The improvements involved total re-construction of the roadbed with a new 10-inch-thick surface, construction of additional through lanes and shoulders, reconfiguring entrance and exit ramps, and shoring up the bridge foundations. The trades also installed a snow melt system with nozzles that shoot a de-icing compound over the road when conditions are icy.

Despite both sides of the freeway now being open, there is finishing work still needed on the S-Curve and the city streets underneath. Some entrance and exit ramps will remain closed for work.

In addition to the specific work mentioned above, the contractor and trades will be working on lighting and electrical systems on the S-Curve, as well as work underneath on sidewalks, city streets, walls, architectural features, and parking lots.

"We've made it this far, and remaining traffic disruptions should prove minimal in comparison," Earl said. "It's time for us all to breathe a collective sigh of relief."

THE S-CURVE is actually a series of six elevated spans, including one that crosses the Grand River. When the S portion of U.S. 131 was completed in 1963, there were fewer vehicles, and few, if any, public hearings to get input on creating such a potential bottleneck - with left-turn exits and no shoulders - on a major highway in the middle of Grand Rapids.