Editing Interstate 496 (section)

==Route description==
I-496 starts at an interchange with I-96/[[Interstate 69 in Michigan|I-69]] at that freeway's exit&nbsp;95 in [[Delta Charter Township, Michigan|Delta Township]] in [[Eaton County, Michigan|Eaton County]]. The freeway runs eastward through suburban areas of the township adjacent to some residential subdivisions. Continuing eastward, there is an interchange for Creyts Road before I-496 angles to the northeast. At the interchange with Waverly Road, I-496 crosses into [[Ingham County, Michigan|Ingham County]]. The freeway then runs parallel to the [[Grand River (Michigan)|Grand River]]. Near a partial interchange with Lansing Road (old [[U.S. Route 27 in Michigan|US&nbsp;27]]<ref name=MSHD63/>), the freeway gains a pair of [[service drive]]s: St. Joseph Street runs [[one-way traffic|one-way]] westbound on the north side, and Malcolm X Street runs eastbound to the south. The next interchange is for the connection to [[M-99 (Michigan highway)|M-99]], which runs along [[List of streets named after Martin Luther King Jr.#Michigan|Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard]]. South of this interchange, M-99 connects to the [[Lansing Car Assembly]] plant,<ref name=MDOT12/><ref name=google/> a former facility for [[Oldsmobile]].<ref name=wieland>{{cite news |last = Wieland |first = Barbara |date = May 1, 2005 |title = An Era Ends as GM Plant Closes |work = Lansing State Journal |pages = 1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21789588/an_era_ends_as_gm_plant_closes_part_2/ 8A] |issn = 0274-9742 |oclc = 6678181 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21789568/an_era_ends_as_gm_plant_closes/ |access-date = July 12, 2018 |via = Newspapers.com }}</ref>

[[File:I-496 at MLK Boulevard.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Looking east from the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard overpass|alt=Photograph of]]
Continuing eastward, I-496 passes north of the assembly plant complex and south of the central business district. East of a partial interchange with Walnut Street, the freeway passes the [[w:Michigan Women's Hall of Fame|Michigan Women's Hall of Fame]], which is located on I-496's southern service drive. The south side of the freeway is adjacent to Cooley Gardens near the confluence of the Grand and [[w:Red Cedar River (Michigan)|Red Cedar]] rivers. I-496 crosses the Grand River downstream from the confluence and meets the interchange to [[Interstate 96 Business (Lansing, Michigan)|Business Loop I-96]] (BL I-96, Cedar and Larch streets) and Pennsylvania Avenue. St. Joseph Street ends after the connection to Pennsylvania Avenue.<ref name=MDOT12/><ref name=google/> The main freeway crosses a rail line owned by [[w:CSX Transportation|CSX Transportation]].<ref name=MDOT-RR>{{cite map |author = Michigan Department of Transportation |url = http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_Official_Rail_130897_7.pdf |title = Michigan's Railroad System |scale = Scale not given |location = Lansing |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |date = January 2011 |access-date = February 1, 2011 |format = PDF |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110409130544/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_Official_Rail_130897_7.pdf |archive-date = April 9, 2011 }}</ref> I-496 runs parallel to the north side of the rail line while Malcolm X Street follows to the south as far as the Clemens Avenue overpass. The freeway then crosses into East Lansing near the Red Cedar Natural Area.<ref name=MDOT12/><ref name=google/>

After crossing the city line, I-496 turns southward and merges with US&nbsp;127. The two highways run concurrently,<ref name=MDOT12/><ref name=google/> and they cross a line of the [[Canadian National Railway]].<ref name=MDOT-RR/> The freeway runs along the western edge of the campus of [[Michigan State University]]. South of campus, I-496/US&nbsp;127 crosses back into Lansing and has an interchange with Jolly Road before entering [[Delhi Charter Township, Michigan|Delhi Township]]. About two-thirds of a mile (1.1&nbsp;km) south of Jolly Road, I-496 meets I-96 and terminates; US&nbsp;127 continues southward as a freeway toward [[Jackson, Michigan|Jackson]].<ref name="MDOT12">{{cite MDOT map |year= 2012 |inset= Lansing  }}</ref><ref name=google>{{google maps |url= http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=I-496+E&daddr=US-127+S&hl=en&sll=42.676946,-84.499626&sspn=0.030415,0.02914&geocode=FWbPiwId6iH0-g%3BFfQtiwIdLLD2-g&t=h&mra=ls&z=12 |title= Overview Map of I-496 |access-date= July 12, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:I-496 US 127 SB.jpg|thumb|Southbound I-496/US&nbsp;127 in East Lansing|alt=Photograph of]]
Like other state highways in Michigan, I-496 is maintained by the [[Michigan Department of Transportation]] (MDOT). In 2011, the department's traffic surveys showed that on [[average annual daily traffic|average]], 61,082&nbsp;vehicles used the freeway between BL I-96 and the Trowbridge Road interchange south of US&nbsp;127, the highest traffic count along I-496. West of Creyts Road, 17,600&nbsp;vehicles did so each day, which was the lowest count along the trunkline.<ref name=TMIS>{{cite web |author = Bureau of Transportation Planning |url = http://mdotnetpublic.state.mi.us/tmispublic/ |title = Traffic Monitoring Information System |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |year = 2008 |access-date = June 30, 2012 }}</ref> As an Interstate Highway, all of I-496 is listed on the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]],<ref name=NHS-MI>{{cite map |author = Michigan Department of Transportation |title = National Highway System, Michigan |date = April 23, 2006 |scale = Scale not given |location = Lansing |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |url = http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_NHS_Statewide_150626_7.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121004040152/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_NHS_Statewide_150626_7.pdf |archive-date = October 4, 2012 |format = PDF |access-date = October 7, 2008 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref> a network of roads deemed important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.<ref name=NHS>{{cite web |first1 = Stefan |last1 = Natzke |first2 = Mike |last2 = Neathery |first3 = Kevin |last3 = Adderly |name-list-style = amp |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/ |title = What is the National Highway System? |work = National Highway System |publisher = [[Federal Highway Administration]] |date = June 20, 2012 |access-date = July 1, 2012 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120828192748/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/ |archive-date = August 28, 2012 }}</ref>