It’s hoped that Business Loop 196 will be safer now that the Michigan Department of Transportation has approved the city of South Haven’s plans to put it on a road diet. South Haven Public Works Director Bill Hunter tells WSJM News they’re going to repaint the lines in the road to take it down from the current four lanes to three lanes with a center turn lane. Hunter says they want to turn that stretch of road into a “drive to” instead of a “drive through.”
“When you have it like it is right now, you have faster speeds so people don’t slow down,” Hunter said. “So it’s more of a drive-through for the corridor. Now when you slow it down by eliminating those other lanes, it’s more of a drive-to, meaning now people take the time and they discover the corridor.”
Hunter says there have been some concerns the change will mean more traffic backups, but the road would have backups on certain days no matter how many lanes it has. He adds with a turn lane, those making left turns won’t have to cross two lanes of traffic or worry about traffic coming up behind them as they’re waiting. The work to make the change will be finished by October.
