Editing M-6 (Michigan highway)

{{Short description|State highway in Michigan, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox road
|state=MI
|type=M
|route=6
|alternate_name=Paul B. Henry Freeway<br />South Beltline Freeway
|map={{maplink-road|from=M-6 (Michigan highway).map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_alt=M-6 runs along the south side of the Grand Rapids metro area in Michigan
|map_notes=Grand Rapids metro area with M-6 highlighted in red
|length_mi=19.696
|length_ref=<ref name=PRFA />
|established={{start date|2001|11|20}}<ref name=wzzm2001 />
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|country=USA|I|196}} near [[Hudsonville, Michigan|Hudsonville]]
|junction={{jct|country=USA|US|131}} in [[Cutlerville, Michigan|Cutlerville]]<br />
{{jct|state=MI|M|37}} near [[Alaska, Michigan|Alaska]]
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|country=USA|I|96}} near [[Cascade Township, Michigan|Cascade]]
|counties=[[Ottawa County, Michigan|Ottawa]], [[Kent County, Michigan|Kent]]
|previous_type=M
|previous_route=5
|next_type=M 1926
|next_route=7
}}
'''M-6''', or the '''Paul B. Henry Freeway''', is a {{convert|19.7|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} east–west [[freeway]] and [[Michigan State Trunkline Highway System|state trunkline highway]] in the United States that serves portions of southern [[Kent County, Michigan|Kent]] and eastern [[Ottawa County, Michigan|Ottawa]] counties south of [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]. Although the freeway is named for [[Paul B. Henry]], local residents and the press continue to use the original name, '''South Beltline''' as well on occasion. The freeway connects [[Interstate 196]] (I-196) on the west with [[Interstate 96|I-96]] on the east. M-6 also provides a connection to [[U.S. Highway 131]] (US&nbsp;131) in the middle of its corridor while running through several [[township (United States)|townships]] on the south side of the [[Grand Rapids metropolitan area]] in [[Western Michigan]]. Each end is in a rural area while the central section has suburban development along the trunkline.

The freeway was originally conceived in the 1960s. It took 32&nbsp;years to approve, plan, finance, and build the freeway from the time that the state first authorized funding in 1972 to the time of the ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2004 that opened the South Beltline to traffic. The project cost around $700&nbsp;million <!--(equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|700000000|2004|r=-6}}}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}})--> or around $35&nbsp;million per mile (approximately $22&nbsp;million per kilometer<!--, equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|35540211.21|2004|r=-6}}}} per mile or ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US|22083412.20|2004|r=-6}}}} per kilometer in {{CURRENTYEAR}}-->). Initial construction started in November 1997, with the first phase opened in November 2001. The full freeway was opened in November 2004. The first phase of construction was completed in [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]], while the second and third phases were built in concrete. The project was built with two firsts: the first [[single-point urban interchange]] (SPUI; {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|p|uː|iː}}) in Michigan, and a new technique to apply the pavement markings, embedding them into the concrete to reduce the chance of a snowplow scraping them off. In advance of the opening of the freeway to traffic, the [[Michigan Department of Transportation]] (MDOT) allowed the public to walk or bike the South Beltline in an open-house event called the "Southbelt Shuffle".

== Route description ==
[[File:M-6 & I-196 Interchange2.jpg|right|thumb|M-6 westbound near junction with I-196|alt=The overhead gantry with signs at]]
M-6 starts at exit&nbsp;64 on I-196 in [[Ottawa County, Michigan|Ottawa County]] near [[Hudsonville, Michigan|Hudsonville]]. The freeway runs southeast from the interchange through the rural [[Georgetown Township, Michigan|Georgetown]] and [[Jamestown Township, Michigan|Jamestown]] townships toward the county line.<ref name=MDOT10 /><ref name=UGR /><ref name=google /> Through this area, MDOT traffic surveys measured a traffic count of 27,117&nbsp;vehicles on average per day, the lowest along the freeway, in 2010.<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 = November 4, 2011 }}</ref> At Kenowa Avenue, the South Beltline crosses into [[Byron Township, Michigan|Byron Township]] in [[Kent County, Michigan|Kent County]]. The freeway corridor is bounded on each side by farmland, scattered subdivisions, and small pockets of woodland. Near the Wilson Avenue interchange, M-6 curves to the northeast around the edge of the Ironwood Golf Course and heads for the interchange with Byron Center Avenue. On either side of the freeway at Byron Center Avenue, there are two hospitals, Metro Health and St. Mary's Southwest, the former located on the very southern edge of the city of [[Wyoming, Michigan|Wyoming]]. Continuing east, the beltline curves to the southeast and into the [[cloverleaf interchange]] complex at US&nbsp;131.<ref name=MDOT10 /><ref name=UGR /><ref name=google /> This "mammoth" interchange stretches over a half mile (0.8&nbsp;km) in one direction and over a mile (1.6&nbsp;km) in the other,<ref group= lower-alpha>As measured by mainline freeway lane lengths.</ref> encompassing 27&nbsp;bridges and 18&nbsp;retaining walls. This makes it the largest freeway interchange in [[Western Michigan]].<ref name=bauza2000-12-19>{{cite news |last = Bauza |first = Margarita |title = South Beltline Junction to be Area's Largest: The Cloverleaf Interchange with US&nbsp;131 Will Stretch for a Mile and Require Widening of the Road |work = [[The Grand Rapids Press]] |date = December 19, 2000 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> There are four overpasses which carry M-6 over the US&nbsp;131 freeway: two for the main [[carriageway]]s in each direction and two for the [[Collector/distributor road|collector-distributor lanes]] on each side. The auxiliary lanes funnel the traffic using the interchange off the main carriageways to eliminate conflicts between merging streams of traffic. In the eastbound direction, the collector-distributor lane also has access to a ramp for traffic bound for 68th Street, which runs parallel to, and south of, the M-6 freeway. No such access to 68th Street is provided for westbound M-6 traffic, although 68th Street traffic can access each direction of M-6 or US&nbsp;131.<ref name=MDOT10 /><ref name=UGR /><ref name=google />

[[File:US 131, M-6, 68th St interchange.jpg|thumb|left|Cloverleaf interchange for US&nbsp;131/M-6/68th Street in Wyoming|alt=Aerial photo of]]
East of US&nbsp;131, M-6 crosses over Division Avenue and enters [[Gaines Township, Kent County, Michigan|Gaines Township]] through a series of sound barrier walls as the freeway ramps merge back into the main lanes.<ref name=MDOT10 /><ref name=UGR /><ref name=google /> This area had the highest traffic counts in 2011 at 55,236&nbsp;vehicles per day.<ref name=TMIS /> Near Kalamazoo Avenue, the freeway passes through an area with retail businesses and movie theaters on each side of the interchange; to the northeast is [[East Kentwood High School]]. On the approach to the East Paris Avenue underpass, M-6 curves first to the northeast and then back to the southeast, passing near one of [[Steelcase]]'s office buildings, the pyramid-shaped Corporate Development Center. The freeway begins to curve to the northeast as it crosses into [[Caledonia Township, Kent County, Michigan|Caledonia Township]], with an interchange for [[M-37 (Michigan highway)|M-37]] (Broadmoor Avenue) and an overpass for 60th Street. M-6 curves around the southeast side of the [[Gerald R. Ford International Airport]] in [[Cascade Township, Michigan|Cascade Township]]. As the South Beltline nears I-96, it crosses 48th Street next to the Thornapple Pointe Golf Course. The carriageway splits into ramps for each direction of I-96, the ramps to eastbound I-96 crossing over the [[Thornapple River]] in the process. This interchange marks the eastern terminus of the Paul B. Henry South Beltline Freeway.<ref name=MDOT10>{{cite MDOT map |year=2010 |inset=Grand Rapids }}</ref><ref name=UGR>{{cite map |author = Universal Map |author-link = Universal Map |location = Blue Bell, Pennsylvania |publisher = Universal Map |title = Grand Rapids Greater Area Street Map |year = 2010 |scale = [c. 1:31,680] |sections = D16–F17, F17–R14 |isbn = 0-7625-5247-6 }}</ref><ref name=google>{{cite map |author = ((Google)) |author-link = Google |date = September 19, 2010 |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Exit+64&daddr=42.856635,-85.509872+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FT4CjgIdTG3i-g%3BFbvwjQIdEDnn-inv-Px_sU4YiDH-fL8YpInV-g%3BFc5qjgIdVZjn-g&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=14&via=1&sll=42.870617,-85.506506&sspn=0.059445,0.064116&ie=UTF8&ll=42.868416,-85.606842&spn=0.475574,0.512924&t=h&z=11 |title=Overview Map of M-6 |website = [[Google Maps]] |publisher = Google |access-date=September 19, 2010}}</ref> The entire length of the freeway 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 |format = PDF |access-date = October 7, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121004040152/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_NHS_Statewide_150626_7.pdf |archive-date = October 4, 2012 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> a system of roads important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.<ref name=NHS>{{cite web |first1 = Stefan |last1 = Natzke |first2 = Mike |last2 = Neathery |first3 = Kevin |last3 = Adderly |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 |name-list-style = amp }}</ref>

The [[right of way (transportation)|right-of-way]] along M-6 includes a {{convert|9|mi|km|adj=on}} pedestrian path known as the [[Frederik Meijer Trail]].  Previously called the M-6 Trail, it links the [[Kent Trails]] west of Byron Center Avenue in [[Wyoming, Michigan|Wyoming]] with the [[Paul Henry Rail Trail]] at 60th Street and Wing Avenue by Paris Park in [[Kentwood, Michigan|Kentwood]].<ref name=traillink>{{cite map |author = ((Google)) |url = http://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/fred-meijer-m-6-trail.aspx |title = Fred Meijer M-6 Trail |website = TrailLink |publisher = Rails-to-Trails Conservancy |date = September 19, 2010 |access-date = September 19, 2010 |url-access = registration }}</ref>

== History ==

=== Earlier designations ===
[[File:M-6 in 1936.jpg|thumb|right|Section of the ''1936/7 Official Michigan Highway Map'' showing M-6 in the [[Keweenaw Peninsula]]|alt=Map]]
The first appearance of M-6 was in 1926 as a {{convert|2|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} road in [[Keweenaw County, Michigan|Keweenaw County]] in the [[Upper Peninsula of Michigan|Upper Peninsula]]. The highway ran from [[U.S. Route 41 in Michigan|US&nbsp;41]] at [[Phoenix, Michigan|Phoenix]] to north of [[Eagle River, Michigan|Eagle River]].<ref name="MSHD26-12">{{cite MDOT map |date= 1926-12-01 |link= yes }}</ref> The [[Michigan State Highway Department]]{{#tag:ref|The Michigan State Highway Department was reorganized into the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation on August 23, 1973, and the name was later shortened to its current form in 1978.<ref name=MMM>{{cite book |last = Kulsea |first = Bill |last2 = Shawver |first2 = Tom |title = Making Michigan Move: A History of Michigan Highways and the Michigan Department of Transportation |url = https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Making_Michigan_Move#27 |year = 1980 |publisher = Michigan Department of Transportation |location = Lansing |oclc = 8169232 |pages = 27, [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Making_Michigan_Move#30 30–31] |name-list-style = amp |access-date =  January 18, 2021 |via = [[Wikisource]] }}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} redesignated the highway as M-111 in 1938, and it was redesignated two years later to become a part of the route of [[M-26 (Michigan highway)|M-26]].<ref name="MSHD38-12">{{cite MDOT map |year=1938-12-01 |c-link= yes |section=A4}}</ref>

In the late 1970s, during the second phase of construction of the [[Interstate 696|I-696 (Walter P. Reuther Freeway)]] in [[Metro Detroit]], [[lobbying]] efforts and lawsuits attempted to block construction of the central section. If successful, the efforts would have left the freeway with a gap in the middle between the first (western) and second (eastern) phases of construction.<ref name=schmidt /> During this time, MDOT assigned M-6 to the eastern section of the freeway under construction. Signs were erected along the service roads that followed 11&nbsp;Mile Road to connect the already built [[stack interchange]] at [[Interstate 75 in Michigan|I-75]] east to [[Interstate 94 in Michigan|I-94]].<ref name=AAA76>{{cite map |location = Falls Church, Virginia |publisher = [[American Automobile Association]] |author = Auto Club of Michigan |title = Detroit Northern Suburbs and Oakland County |edition = Fall 1976–77 |date = September 1976 |section = P12 |scale = c. 1:44,352 |oclc = 49819797 }}</ref> By the time the eastern freeway segment was completed in 1979, the signage for M-6 was removed and replaced with I-696 signage,<ref name=AP79>{{cite news |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eD4iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lqwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2611,318911&dq=interstate+696+detroit&hl=en |title = I-94–I-75 Link To Open |work = [[Argus-Press]] |location = Owosso, Michigan |agency = Associated Press |date = January 3, 1979 |page = 16 |access-date = January 7, 2011 |oclc = 36134862 |via = [[Google News]] }}</ref> leaving an {{convert|8|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} gap in the I-696 freeway until completion of the central section in 1989.<ref name=schmidt>{{cite news |last = Schmidt |first = William E. |title = Pleasant Ridge Journal; The Freeway It Took A Generation to Build |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/15/us/pleasant-ridge-journal-the-freeway-it-took-a-generation-to-build.html |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = December 15, 1989 |access-date = January 7, 2011 |issn = 0362-4331 |oclc = 1645522 }}</ref>

=== Current freeway ===

==== Planning ====
The South Beltline Freeway near Grand Rapids was a project that took about 32&nbsp;years to complete. The idea dates back to the 1940s, but serious proposals were not made until the 1960s.<ref name=van-kolken>{{cite news |last = Van Kolken |first = Paul |title = Decision Near, but Work on US&nbsp;31 Is Years Away: MDOT Says It Will Take Six Years—At Least—To Break Ground after Monday's Announcement |work = [[Holland Sentinel]] |date = June 19, 1999 |issn = 1050-4044 |oclc = 49995441 }}</ref> The 1955 planning map for the Grand Rapids area Interstate Highways included a freeway roughly along the M-6 corridor before I-96 and I-196 were shifted north and east to their current locations.<ref name="YBGR">{{cite map |map-url = http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Rapids,_Michigan_1955_Yellow_Book.jpg |title = General Location of National System of Interstate Highways Including All Additional Routes at Urban Areas Designated in September 1955 |page = 43 |map = Grand Rapids |author = Bureau of Public Roads |scale = Scale not given |location = Washington, DC |publisher = [[Government Printing Office]] |year = 1955 |oclc = 4165975 |access-date = January 7, 2011 |via = [[Wikimedia Commons]] }}</ref> An increase in the state [[gas tax]] was approved in 1972 with the goal to finance local road projects in the state, including the South Beltline. The project was anticipated to cost $30–100&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|30000000|1975|r=0}}}}–{{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|100000000|1975|r=0}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}) in June 1975 with an expected groundbreaking in 1982–85.<ref name=building>{{cite news |title = Building the South Beltline |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = November 16, 2004 |page = A2 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The highway was studied in January 1981 for $144,000 (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|144000|1981|r=-3}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}).<ref name=barnes1982-05-28 /> The choice of consultants on the project was controversial; local planners felt that MDOT picked BKI Inc. only because they used a [[Minority business enterprise|minority-owned subcontractor]] and not because they would be qualified for the assignment.<ref name=roelofs1981-01-03>{{cite news |last = Roelofs |first = Ted |title = Planner Faults Choice of Beltline Consultant |work = The Grand Rapids Press |pages = 1A, 2A |date = January 3, 1981 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

As this study was initiated, the route for the proposed freeway was located between 60th and 68th streets with a western end in [[Hudsonville, Michigan|Hudsonville]] and an eastern end in [[Lowell Township, Michigan|Lowell Township]]. The consultants were asked to study a full [[freeway]] and a [[limited access]] [[boulevard]] design. One final option was a "no-build" alternative; under this option, existing roads would be upgraded but no new roads would be built. The [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|City of Grand Rapids]] opposed the freeway while the suburbs and townships south and west of the city supported it. City officials were concerned about the impact to commercial and industrial business in Grand Rapids. Hudsonville's city manager favored the proposal as a benefit to local vegetable producers who shipped produce to Detroit or Cleveland. Other supporters, such as the [[Georgetown Township, Michigan|Georgetown Township]] supervisor, were concerned that delays in starting the project could increase costs. State and local officials expected the freeway in January 1981 to cost between $40–100&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|40000000|1981|r=0}}}}–{{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|100000000|1981|r=0}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}). The road was to be started no sooner than 1990.<ref name=roelofs1981-01-18>{{cite news |last = Roelofs |first = Ted |title = South Belt's Future is Tied to Study |work = The Grand Rapids Press |pages = 1F, 2F |date = January 18, 1981 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

[[File:South Beltline '99(2).jpg|left|thumb|The site of M-6 in 1999 looking eastbound near Kalamazoo Avenue, Gaines Township|alt=The field that was to be]]
The boundaries for the highway corridor were determined by the consultants in April 1982, running between 60th and 84th streets, "dipping like a hammock beneath the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming".<ref name=planners1982-04-20>{{cite news |title = Planners Route Corridor for South Belt Freeway |work = The East Press |publisher = [[Booth Newspapers]] |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |pages = 1, 12 |date = April 20, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The results of the study by BKI were criticized by local planners in May 1982, who called the study "shabby and unprofessional work", and asked the state to fire the consulting firm.<ref name=barnes1982-05-28>{{cite news |last = Barnes |first = John |title = South Belt Freeway Plans Denounced at Hearing |work = The Grand Rapids Press |page = 1C |date = May 28, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Local residents distributed 2,000&nbsp;fliers to their neighbors in opposition to the freeway. The South Belt Local Advisory Board criticized BKI's 110-page study report as "filled with errors"; the consultants' earlier 26-page  paper had been rejected by the board and MDOT as "unusable".<ref name=barnes1982-05-28 /> An editorial in ''[[The Grand Rapids Press]]'' stated that the study did not help advance the project in the area, instead opening the proposed freeway up to new controversies. Doubts about the state's budget in 1982 to build the roadway combined with issues over the consultants and their study results.<ref name=study1982-06-06>{{cite news |author = The Grand Rapids Press Editorial Board |title = South Belt Study No Real Help |type = Editorial |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = June 6, 1982 |page = 4J |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

A second citizens group, the South Belt Citizens Committee, was formed in July 1982 to gain additional public information on the project and supplement the work of the other groups, including the South Belt Local Advisory Board.<ref name=beversluis1982-07-13>{{cite news |last1 = Beversluis |first1 = Ben |last2 = Barnes |first2 = John |title = Second Group Forms to Influence South Belt Plans |work = The East Press |publisher = Booth Newspapers |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |pages = 1, 11 |date = July 13, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 |name-list-style = amp }}</ref> BKI was fired as consultant on the project by MDOT on September 9, 1982.  The switch to a new consultant delayed further study because of the timetable to take bids and interview the candidates. In the interim, work was shifted to local and state planners until a new consultant could be retained in an effort to minimize the delays involved. These local projects were focused on updating the information and maps from BKI's study and refining the scope of the highway's corridor.<ref name=barnes1982-09-28>{{cite news |last = Barnes |first = John |title = New Consultant To Be Hired on South Belt Freeway Plan |work = The East Press |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = Booth Newspapers |page = 6 |date = September 28, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

Gaines, Cascade, and Caledonia townships and the city of Kentwood circulated a survey amongst their communities' planning commissions and elected boards in 1982. The survey showed an inconclusive preference for a limited-access highway in what was termed a "gut level reaction" to the proposed roadway.<ref name=barnes2-1982-10-26>{{cite news |last = Barnes |first = John |title = Results of South Belt Survey Are Viewed with Question |work = The East Press |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = Booth Newspapers |page = 30 |date = October 26, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The South Belt Citizens Committee actively started to oppose the roadway during the fall of 1982, pressing local candidates for political office to take positions on the project. The group called the roadway a "holocaust" in its mailings to the candidates.<ref name=barnes1982-10-26>{{cite news |last = Barnes |first = John |title = South Belt is Attacked by Citizens Group in Area |work = The East Press |publisher = Booth Newspapers |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |page = 31 |date = October 26, 1982 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Future Lieutenant Governor [[Dick Posthumus]], then a member of the [[Michigan State Senate]], called for an end to the studies in 1983;<ref name=hearings1983-04-21>{{cite news |title = South Belt Friends, Foes Satisfied with Hearings |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = April 21, 1983 |page = 4C |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> he would later reverse and become one of the project's biggest supporters.<ref name=building />

MDOT hired a new consultant, Schimpeler/Coradino Associates, in 1984 to study the proposed freeway.<ref name=cox1985-02-20>{{cite news |last = Cox |first = Michael |title = Residents Assail Study on Proposed South Belt Roadway |work = The Grand Rapids Press |pages = B1, B2 |date = February 20, 1985 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The consultant recommended the freeway in March 1985. The South Beltline was included in the ten-year highway plan in 1986. By 1989, the state wanted to set the route in 1991 with construction starting in 1993. The freeway was studied as a possible [[toll road]] in June 1991 after three alternative routes were proposed the previous year. That September, the final route was set with a projected start date in 1997. The toll road concept was revived in September 1995 to offset the failure of a proposed gas tax increase. As a cost-saving measure, the number of interchanges was reduced to four from eight in June 1996. When a gas tax increase was passed in 1997, Governor [[John Engler]] promised at least seven access points for the freeway.<ref name=building /> The South Beltline was touted as "[cutting] travel time around Grand Rapids virtually in half".<ref name=greenwood-1999>{{cite news |last = Greenwood |first = Tom |title = Commuting: Grand Rapids Project Will Cut Travel Time in Half |work = [[The Detroit News]] |date = November 22, 1999 |page = 6C |issn = 1055-2715 |oclc = 137348716 }}</ref>

==== Phase I ====
[[File:M-6, M-37 interchange incomplete.jpg|thumb|right|M-37 interchange incomplete while the remainder of the freeway was under construction|alt=Aerial photo of]]
Proposals for the South Beltline Freeway were nearly 25&nbsp;years old by the time initial construction was started in 1997.<ref name=building /> The [[Michigan State Legislature]] named the South Beltline around the same time for the Congressman [[Paul B. Henry]], who died in office in 1993, serving in [[Gerald Ford]]'s old US House seat.<ref name=greenwood-1999 /> The cost of the construction of new roads like the South Beltline was a campaign issue when Engler ran for re-election against [[Geoffrey Fieger]] in 1998.<ref name=hoffman-1998>{{cite news |last = Hoffman |first = Kathy Barks |title = Engler, Feiger Attack and Defend Record on Roads |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bfhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f0wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5539,1946802&dq=south+beltline+grand+rapids+michigan&hl=en |work = [[Ludington Daily News]] |agency = Associated Press |date = September 21, 1998 |page = 12 |access-date = January 8, 2011 |oclc = 27033604 |via = Google News }}</ref> The entire freeway was projected to open by 2008, with the first phase opening in 2002. MDOT gave the South Beltline its numerical designation on the July 1999 edition of the state map, marking M-6 for the first time as a dotted line, to denote it was "under construction".<ref name=building /> The legislature approved Engler's "Build Michigan III" program in 2000; the plan accelerated road projects in the state.<ref name=greenwood>{{cite news |last = Greenwood |first = Tom |title = Legislature Backs Engler's Massive Road Repair Plan |work = The Detroit News |date = June 13, 2000 |page = 12D |issn = 1055-2715 |oclc = 137348716 }}</ref> The capital outlay for the year was $82&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|82000000|1999|r=-6}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}).<ref name=gerritt>{{cite news |last=Gerritt |first=Jeff |title=Sick of Seeing Red in Traffic? Expect Orange State Highway Cones Will Return for More Construction in 2000  |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32816326/sick_of_seeing_red_in_traffic/ |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=October 7, 1999 |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32816341/sick_of_seeing_red_part_2/ A10] |issn= 1055-2758 |id= {{oclc| 10345127| 137343179}} |access-date = June 12, 2019 |via = [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>  [[Eminent domain|Condemnation]] proceedings were initiated in the [[Kent County, Michigan|Kent County]] Circuit Court in 1999 to clear the way for the acquisitions. Land that contained homes, farms, trailer parks, and businesses was purchased by MDOT to acquire the right-of-way needed for the freeway. The land needed measured {{convert|360|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|20|mi|km}} long. Land acquisitions for the South Beltline Freeway were completed in July 2001. Construction started later in the fall of 2001 on the second and third phases of the project.<ref name=ackerman-heywood-2001-07-22>{{cite news |last = Ackerman-Heywood |first = Jennifer |title = Homes Make Their Exit: The State is Wrapping up Property Acquisitions as South Beltline Becomes a More Visible Part of West Michigan Landscape |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = July 22, 2001 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

The first leg of the South Beltline Freeway, located between [[M-37 (Michigan highway)|M-37]] (Broadmoor Avenue) and [[Interstate 96|I-96]], was finished six months early. Dry summer weather allowed the roadbed contractors to finish their portion of the {{convert|5|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} section of the freeway early, earning them a $300,000 bonus (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|300000|2001|r=-3}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}).<ref name=harger-2001-09-18>{{cite news |last = Harger |first = Jim |title = Early Finish of South Beltline's 1st Leg Praised |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = September 18, 2001 |page = A15 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The overpasses for the remaining sections of the freeway were completed while the first phase was under construction, leaving the interchanges at US&nbsp;131 and I-196 and the connecting roadbed to be completed at that time.<ref name=harger-2001-09-18 /> The first section was paved in [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]] after MDOT reversed the decision to pave the whole freeway in [[concrete]].<ref name=king-2002-03-22 /> That stretch of freeway opened to traffic on November 20, 2001.<ref name=wzzm2001>{{cite news |title = South Beltline Opens |url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=796 |publisher = [[WZZM-TV]] |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |date = November 21, 2001 |access-date = January 8, 2011 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130210091224/http://www.wzzm13.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=796 |archive-date = February 10, 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The state kept the overall project in an accelerated status headed into the next phases in 2002.<ref name=johnson-2002>{{cite news |last = Johnson |first = Malcolm |title = Five-Year Road Program Released |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QHgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6awFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1400,2381745&dq=south+beltline+grand+rapids+michigan&hl=en |work = Argus-Press |location = Owosso, Michigan |agency = Associated Press |date = March 29, 2002 |page = 8 |access-date = January 8, 2011 |oclc = 36134862 |via = Google News }}</ref>

==== Phases II and III ====
[[File:M-6, Kalamazoo Ave Interchange.jpg|thumb|right|Kalamazoo Avenue SPUI under final construction|alt=Aerial photo of]]
Construction of the remaining phases between US&nbsp;131 and M-37 and between I-196 and US&nbsp;131 was started on April 1, 2002. Area roads that crossed the path of the new freeway were closed to traffic with posted detours so that work could begin on the roadbed for the freeway.<ref name=king-2002-03-22>{{cite news |last = King |first = Kyla |title = Moving Right Along: Roads Will Close April 1 as South Beltline Work Resumes in Earnest |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = March 22, 2002 |page = D1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The last major project for the freeway was to replace bridge beams in the overpasses from westbound I-196 to eastbound M-6.<ref name=reister-2004-10-20>{{cite news |last = Reister |first = Cami |title = South Belt Gains with a Little Pain: Beam Work on an Overpass Will Force a Highway Detour |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = October 20, 2004 |page = C1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Design flaws were found in 2002 in the size of the beams in the bridges over eastbound I-196 and the ramp from westbound M-6 to westbound I-196.<ref>{{cite news |title = Bridge Flaws Discovered on South Beltline |work = Holland Sentinel |date = November 13, 2002 |issn = 1050-4044 |oclc = 49995441 }}</ref> The replacement was originally supposed to close traffic along I-196 over a weekend in 2004, but kept a lane closed for a full week, backing up traffic on the Interstate for {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}}; completion of the work was delayed when human error caused a shortage of nuts and bolts.<ref name=white-2004-10-26>{{cite news |last = White |first = Ed |title = Aw Nuts! Shortage of Bolts Slows South Belt Work |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = October 26, 2004 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

[[File:Wilson Avenue overpass.jpg|left|thumb|Wilson Avenue overpass|alt=Photo of the]]
MDOT hosted an open house along the unopened section of  M-6 between Kalamazoo and Byron Center avenues. This event took place on October 2, 2004, and was billed as the "Southbelt Shuffle", allowing the public to walk or bike along the freeway. The event was planned to draw attention to the M-6 Trail that runs parallel to the freeway.<ref name=deiters-2004-09-24>{{cite news |last = Deiters |first = Barton |title = 'Southbelt Shuffle' Celebrates Freeway, Promotes M-6 Trail |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = September 24, 2004 |page = C1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Some event participants brought their horses for the chance to ride on the freeway.<ref name=blcamp>{{cite web |last = Camp |first = Barry L. |title = Roadpix: The M-6 'Southbelt Shuffle' |url = http://blcamp.com/blcamp/content/roadpix-shuffle.asp |date = October 2, 2004 |access-date = September 19, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708013048/http://blcamp.com/blcamp/content/roadpix-shuffle.asp |archive-date = July 8, 2011 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref> The whole freeway was opened to traffic on November 17, 2004, after a ribbon cutting ceremony.<ref name=harrold2004-11-15>{{cite news |last = Harrold |first = Richard |title = Wait Nearly over for South Beltline: Highway Provides Shortcut to Southern, Eastern Kent County |work = Holland Sentinel |date = November 15, 2004 |issn = 1050-4044 |oclc = 49995441 }}</ref> When opened, reconstruction work was still being completed on overpass bridges at the I-196 interchange on the west end.<ref name=reister-2004-11-04>{{cite news |last = Reister |first = Cami |title = M-6 Home Stretch: South Beltline to Open Ahead of Schedule |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = November 4, 2004 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The entire project cost $700&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|700000000|2004|r=-6}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}) to complete over the five-year construction period, about $35&nbsp;million/mi (approximately $22&nbsp;million/km, equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|35540211.21|2004|r=-6}}}}/mi or ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|22083412.20|2004|r=-6}}}}/km in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}).<ref name=reister-2004-11-14 /> When the freeway was opened, it was the first in the state of Michigan to use a [[single-point urban interchange|SPUI]] located at the Kalamazoo Avenue exit.<ref name=reister-2004-11-14 /> All of the bridges and sound barrier walls were painted sienna beige as part of a "color theme" to the freeway. MDOT also used a new technique to recess the pavement markings into the concrete, designed to reduce the likelihood that snowplows would scrape them off.<ref name=reister-2004-11-14 /> The signs are in miles, but "the entire M-6 freeway was designed and constructed in metric", according to MDOT manager Suzette Peplinski.<ref name=reister-2004-11-14>{{cite news |last = Reister |first = Cami |title = Get Ready to Cut Across New Ribbon of Highway |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = November 14, 2004 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> The final ramps opened to traffic on December 9, 2004.<ref name=wzzm2004>{{cite news |first = Brian |last = Nemitz |title = Final South Beltline Ramp Opens |url = http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=34328 |publisher = WZZM-TV |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |date = December 9, 2004 |access-date = January 8, 2011 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130209175202/http://www.wzzm13.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=34328 |archive-date = February 9, 2013 }}</ref>

==== After construction ====
[[File:Frederik Meijer Trail & M-6.jpg|thumb|right|Frederik Meijer Trail looking east at the freeway in Kentwood|alt=Photograph of the]]
MDOT added the completed M-6 to the state maps in an updated printing in June 2005. At the time, the various online mapping services still did not show a complete freeway in eastern Ottawa or southern Kent counties. Services such as [[Mapquest]] and [[Yahoo! Maps]] rely on [[Tele Atlas]] out of New Hampshire for their mapping information, which, in turn, relies on agencies like MDOT to update their data. MDOT's map update came out nearly eight months after the initial opening due to its inclusion in a large-scale update to the state highway map.<ref name=king-2005-06-06>{{cite news |last = King |first = Kyla |title = South Belt on the Map, not Online: Highway Finally Makes State Map, but Web Sites Still Don't Include It |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = June 6, 2005 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

A year after the freeway opened, traffic volumes along parallel roads like 44th, 56th and 68th streets dropped 40–50%.<ref name=king2005-11-16 /> At the same time, roads with interchanges along the freeway saw increased traffic. Wilson Avenue experienced a 120% increase and sections of Byron Center Avenue jumped 100% in traffic levels a month after M-6 opened.<ref name=king2005-11-16>{{cite news |last = King |first = Kyla |title = Life Rearranges in Highway's Wake: Freeway Brings Development, Shifting Traffic Patterns to Southern Kent County |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = November 16, 2005 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Property values in the townships surrounding the freeway increased 11.3–12.4% by 2006 as a result of development attached to the freeway.<ref name=wilson2006-04-21 /> Local officials credited the freeway for increased access to the area, driving housing starts as residents flocked to the communities for their schools and quality of life.<ref name=wilson2006-04-21>{{cite news |last = Wilson |first = Rick |title = South Beltline Quickly Becomes Road to Growth: Residential, Commercial Property Values Jump along M-6 |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = April 21, 2006 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> In 2007, the Metro Health Village, a commercial development centered around the Byron Center Avenue exit and the hospital opened. Described as being similar to a mall with the hospital as a tenant, the village features restaurants, shops, offices and a hotel. Metro Health relocated from Grand Rapids to the location in Wyoming in the face of opposition to planned expansions of their previous location.<ref name=shellenbarger>{{cite news |last = Shellenbarger |first = Pat |title = Hospital Brings Area to Life: Metro Health, Surrounding Developments Spread Wealth in Wyoming |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = September 9, 2007 |page = A1 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref> Since opening, even though the freeway was officially named for Paul Henry, the original South Beltline name is still in use.<ref name=kcrc>{{cite map |author1 = Kent County Road Commission |author2 = REGIS Agency |name-list-style = amp |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = Kent County Road Commission |year = 2008 |title = Official Road Map |scale = 1:95,040 |at = T5N R11W S1 |oclc = 277273068 }}</ref>

Reactions to the new freeway were not all positive. In a special editorial in ''The Grand Rapids Press'' after the freeway opened in 2004, local resident Curt MacDougall summarized the criticisms of the new freeway. He cited the loss of rural farmland and wetlands as a negative effect of the highway. The editorial also discussed that the freeway does decrease travel times for some residents, but it will mean increased development. That development will mean further [[urban sprawl]], and could spur the creation of additional highways in the area.<ref name=macdougall>{{cite news |last = MacDougall |first = Curt |title = Road to Ruin Open for Business |work = The Grand Rapids Press |type = Editorial |date = November 20, 2004 |page = A13 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

The [[M-6 Trail]] was constructed in a $3.5&nbsp;million project (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|3500000|2008|r=-5}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}) that started in 2008. The goal was to create a {{convert|10|ft|m|adj=mid|-wide}} path linking the [[Kent Trails]] with the [[Paul Henry Rail Trail]]. The M-6 Trail was the brainchild of Gaines Township Supervisor Don Hilton Sr. He had pushed to have the path included in the original freeway construction and opened with the rest of the South Beltline. The trail project was funded by $2.9&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|2900000|2008|r=-5}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}) in federal grants and $300,000 (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|300000|2008|r=-4}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|name-list-style=amp}}) from the [[Fred Meijer (businessman)|Frederik and Lena Meijer Foundation]]. The balance came from Kent County and the townships.<ref name=king-wilson-2006-12-06>{{cite news |last1 = King |first1 = Kyla |last2 = Wilson |first2 = Rick |title = Bike Trail Planned near South Beltline on Track |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = December 6, 2006 |page = B1 |oclc = 9975013 |name-list-style = amp }}</ref> Work on the trail was completed in November 2008.<ref name=mcclellan>{{cite news |last = McClellan |first = Theresa |title = Trail Links Kentwood's Paul Henry, M-6 Pedestrian Paths |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2008/11/trail_links_kentwoods_paul_hen.html |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = November 27, 2008 |access-date = September 19, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120112040224/http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2008/11/trail_links_kentwoods_paul_hen.html |archive-date = January 12, 2012 |url-status = live |oclc = 9975013 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

In 2009, the asphalt section of M-6 had to be repaired. This section of roadway between East Paris Avenue and 48th Street was rated poorly by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, while the concrete west of Broadmoor Avenue had favorable marks. MDOT budgeted $2&nbsp;million in repairs on top of previous crack-related fixes that were handled by the original pavement contractor under a warranty in 2006. The local press described the {{convert|4.7|mi|km|adj=on}} stretch of road as "troublesome" in relation to pavement quality issues.<ref name=persons2009-05-23>{{cite news |last = Persons |first = Nicole |title = Resurfacing Begins on M-6 |work = The Grand Rapids Press |date = May 23, 2009 |page = A3 |oclc = 9975013 }}</ref>

Legislation was signed by Governor [[Rick Snyder]] on December 27, 2014, to name the section of M-6 between Byron Center and Kalamazoo avenues the David John Warsen Memorial Highway.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://woodtv.com/2015/08/03/celebrating-the-life-of-david-warsen/ |title = Celebrating the Life of David Warsen |author = eightWest staff |work = eightWest |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = [[WOOD-TV]] |date = August 3, 2015 |access-date = September 10, 2015 |archive-date = September 5, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150905230528/http://woodtv.com/2015/08/03/celebrating-the-life-of-david-warsen/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> Warsen, a [[United States Navy SEALs|US Navy SEAL]], was killed in a helicopter accident in [[Afghanistan]] in 2012. This section of the highway was dedicated on August 15, 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://fox17online.com/2015/08/15/portion-of-m-6-named-for-fallen-navy-seal/ |title = Portion of M-6 Named for Fallen Navy SEAL |date = August 15, 2015 |first = Erica |last = Francis |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = [[WXMI-TV]] |access-date = September 10, 2015 }}</ref>

== Exit list ==
{{MIinttop|exit|ref=<ref name="PRFA">{{cite MDOT PRFA |link= yes |access-date= September 18, 2010}}</ref>}}
{{MIint|exit
|county=Ottawa
|cspan=2
|location=Georgetown Township
|mile=0.000
|exit=—
|road={{jct|state=MI|I|196|name1=G.R. Ford Freeway|city1=Grand Rapids|city2=Holland}}
|notes=Exit&nbsp;64 on I-196}}
{{MIint|exit
|location=Jamestown Township
|mile=1.737
|exit=1
|road=8th Avenue
|notes=
}}
{{MIint|exit
|county=Kent
|cspan=6
|location=Byron Township
|lspan=3
|mile=3.778
|exit=3
|road=Wilson Avenue&nbsp;– [[Grandville, MI|Grandville]]
|notes=
}}
{{MIint|exit
|mile=5.756
|exit=5
|road=Byron Center Avenue&nbsp;– [[Wyoming, Michigan|Wyoming]]
|notes=
}}
{{MIint|exit
|mile=7.886
|mile2=8.776
|exit=8
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=MI|US|131|city1=Grand Rapids|city2=Kalamazoo}}<br />68th Street&nbsp;– [[Cutlerville, Michigan|Cutlerville]]
|notes=No access to 68th Street from westbound M-6; exit&nbsp;77 on US&nbsp;131 for M-6 and exit&nbsp;76 on US&nbsp;131 for 68th Street}}
{{MIint|exit
|location=Gaines Township
|ctdab=Kent
|mile=10.867
|exit=11
|road=Kalamazoo Avenue&nbsp;– [[Kentwood, Michigan|Kentwood]]
|notes=[[Single-point urban interchange]]}}
{{MIint|exit
|location=Caledonia Township
|ctdab=Kent
|mile=15.370
|mile2=15.391
|exit=15
|road={{jct|state=MI|M|37|city1=Grand Rapids|city2=Hastings|name1=Broadmoor Avenue|extra=airport|location3=[[Gerald R. Ford International Airport]]}}
|notes=
}}
{{MIint|exit
|location=Cascade Township
|mile=19.696
|exit=—
|road={{jct|state=MI|I|96|city1=Muskegon|city2=Lansing}}
|notes=Exit&nbsp;46 on I-96}}
{{jctbtm|exit|keys=incomplete}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Michigan Highways}}
* [[Maryland Route 200]], a freeway bypass in Maryland that has a similar history
* [[Illiana Expressway]], a conceptual highway south of Chicago with a similar controversy
{{Clear}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|M-6 (Michigan highway)|M-6}}
{{attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* {{Osmrelation-inline|271833|Paul B. Henry Freeway}}
* [http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/M-006.html M-6] at Michigan Highways
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425233448/http://www.digarch.lib.mtu.edu/showbib.aspx?bib_id=706023 M-6] on the Keweenaw Peninsula
* [http://www.michiganhighways.org/photos/southbeltline_rc/index.html South Beltline Ribbon-Cutting Photos] at Michigan Highways

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:M006}}
[[Category:Freeways and expressways in Michigan]]
[[Category:State highways in Michigan|006]]
[[Category:Transportation in Ottawa County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Transportation in Kent County, Michigan]]