 The South Beltline Freeway near Grand Rapids was a project that took about 32 years to complete . The idea dates back to the 1940s , but serious proposals were not made until the 1960s . 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 . 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 million ( equivalent to $ <unk> – 713 million in 2015 ) in June 1975 with an expected groundbreaking in 1982 – 85 . The highway was studied in January 1981 for $ 144 @,@ 000 ( equivalent to $ 575 @,@ 000 in 2015 ) . The choice of consultants on the project was controversial ; local planners felt that MDOT picked BKI Inc. only because they used a minority @-@ owned <unk> and not because they would be qualified for the assignment . 
