Business Routes of U.S. Route 131 - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Business US Highway 131 (BUS US 131) is a 10.00-mile (16.09 km) business route running through downtown Kalamzoo. Currently, BUS US 131 follows BL I-94/Stadium Drive and the one-way pairings of Kalamazoo/Michigan and Park/Westnedge to a freeway section on the north end.

The southern terminus of BUS US 131 is at US 131 Exit 36 at an interchange with US 131/BL I-94 and BL I-94/BUS US 131 near downtown Kalamazoo in Oshtemo Township. BL I-94 follows US 131 south from BUS US 131's southern terminus to I-94. The northern terminus is at US 131 Exit 41 at the end of the BUS US 131 freeway north of downtown in Oshtemo Township.

On December 16, 1963, the US 131 freeway was opened on the west side of Kalamazoo. This marks the beginning of BUS US 131 in the Kalamazoo area, even though the highway was not signed until 1964. It won't be until the final section of the highway, built as a freeway connector from Exit 41 on US 131 to the northern end of Westnedge Avenue and Park Street was completed that the whole route was signed. The highway was routed to follow BL I-94 along Stadium Drive to a junction with M-43/Michigan Avenue BUS US 131 then followed Michigan Avenue to the one-way pairings of Park Street and Westnedge Avenue. Northbound traffic follows Park Street and southbound follows Westnedge Avenue.

October 4, 1965 marked the transfer of Kalamazoo and Michikal avenues to state jurisdiction. To smooth out traffic patterns downtown, Michikal Avenue was built as a connector between Kalamazoo and Michigan avenues. Kalamazoo and Michikal are then signed as southbound BUS US 131 from Westnedge Ave. to Stadium Drive while Main Street and Michigan Avenue continue to serve northbound traffic only between Stadium Drive and Park Street.