
Michigan Drivers Say There’s a Road Worse Than the S-Curve for Winter Driving in Grand Rapids
Attempt to navigate the roads and highways of Grand Rapids in winter and nearly everyone will caution you about the S-Curve, a twisty stretch of US-131 that bends around downtown, crosses the Grand River and meets I-196, the busiest highway junction in the city.
Mix in treacherous winter weather conditions to the S-Curve and you've got some incredibly difficult driving.
👇🏼BELOW: The Only Destination For These Highways are Michigan State Parks👇🏼
But some drivers say there's a even worse stretch for driving and that's just to the west of the S-Curve along I-196 where that freeway passes Lake Michigan Drive.
One driver used the popular 'Change My Mind' meme to make the point.
The well known Change My Mind image was posted to the Grand Rapids subreddit of Reddit with the caption:
Snow Makes it Even Worse
196 between Lane and Lake Michigan Drive is worse than the S-Curve
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Change My Mind
Like the S-Curve, this area of I-196 was designed to accommodate the existing landscape and cityscape the highway was shoehorned into. In this case it's the steep valley that cuts through this section of the city as well as John Ball Zoo/Park.
I-196 also allows for traffic from Lake Michigan Drive (M-45) onto eastbound I-196 to enter via the left causing a challenging merging scenario as the freeway enters into the curve and decline leading towards the exit for Lane Avenue and eventually downtown.
Just how bad is it? Drivers comment:
Eastbound from lake MI onto the highway is just as terrifying since it empties you into the fast lane without enough on ramp to get up to speed too.
And then immediately into a tight downhill left turn. Brilliant.
Those with a historical perspective remember when it was even worse before a road widening project:
Two lanes of people trying to get to work, and a ramp you could maybe go 50 on if you have a sporty car...dumping into a lane of people going 75 but all jamming on the brakes for the hill and curve but don't want to get behind someone 'slow'.
You used to see backups way past Market every workday, even in dry weather.

Although if you're looking for a silver lining, one commenter reminded the rest of the tread that the views along this stretch of I-196 are considered the best, most scenic urban landscape in the midwest.
The Only Destination For These Highways are Michigan State Parks
Gallery Credit: Google Maps Street View
Michigan License Plate Prototypes That Were Never Created
Gallery Credit: Michigan Secretary of State via Michigan License Plates/Facebook
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