Editing Interstate 496 (section)

{{Short description|Interstate Highway in Eaton and Ingham counties in Michigan, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox road
|state=MI
|type=I
|route=496
|alternate_name=R.E. Olds Freeway
|map={{maplink-road|from=Interstate 496.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Lansing area with I-496 highlighted in red
|map_alt= I-496 connects downtown Lansing with the I-96 and US 127 freeways
|spur_type=I
|spur_of=96
|established=December 1963<ref name=IDG63/>
|history=Completed on December 18, 1970<ref name=paving/>
|length_mi= 11.907
|length_ref=<ref name=PRFA/>
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=MI|I|69|I|96}} in [[Delta Charter Township, Michigan|Delta Township]]
|junction=
*{{jct|state=MI|M|99}} in [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]]
*{{Jct|state=MI|US|127}} near [[East Lansing, Michigan|East Lansing]]
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=MI|I|96|US|127}} in [[Delhi Charter Township, Michigan|Delhi Township]]
|counties=[[Eaton County, Michigan|Eaton]], [[Ingham County, Michigan|Ingham]]
|previous_type=I
|previous_route=475
|next_type=Capitol Loop
|next_route=496
}}
'''Interstate 496''' ('''I-496''') is an [[List of auxiliary Interstate Highways|auxiliary Interstate Highway]] that passes through downtown [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] in the US state of Michigan. Also a component of the [[Michigan State Trunkline Highway System|State Trunkline Highway System]], the freeway connects [[Interstate 96|I-96]] to the downtown area. It has been named the '''R.E. Olds Freeway''' (sometimes just '''Olds Freeway''') for [[Ransom E. Olds]], the founder of [[Oldsmobile]] and the [[REO Motor Car Company]]. I-496 runs east–west from I-96/[[Interstate 69 in Michigan|I-69]] near the downtown area and north–south along a section that [[concurrency (road)|runs concurrently]] with [[U.S. Route 127 in Michigan|US Highway&nbsp;127]] (US&nbsp;127). The trunkline also passes a former assembly plant used by Oldsmobile and runs along or crosses parts of the [[Grand River (Michigan)|Grand]] and [[Red Cedar River (Michigan)|Red Cedar]] rivers.

Construction of I-496 started in 1963, and the freeway opened on December 18, 1970. Segments of the freeway south of [[downtown Lansing]] were built in the location of a historically black neighborhood. In the opinion of some, this neighborhood was formed based on the segregationist practices of the early 20th century. Community leaders worked for different housing opportunities for the black residents displaced by I-496 rather than fight the freeway. As the trunkline neared completion, competing proposals to name it resulted in two similar, but separate designations applied to I-496. The city originally approved one name in honor of a former mayor. The local historical society proposed that the state name it as a memorial to Olds after the demolition of the Olds Mansion. The city renamed it the '''Oldsmobile Expressway''', the name under which it opened in December 1970. Two years later, the [[Michigan Legislature]] restored its preferred name and it has been the Olds Freeway since.