▁year , ▁the ▁former ▁Grand ▁Rap ids ▁Speed rome , ▁a ▁local ▁race ▁car ▁track ▁was ▁closed . ▁Loc ated ▁on ▁North ▁Park ▁Street ▁between ▁the ▁North ▁Park ▁Bridge ▁and ▁West ▁River ▁Drive , ▁the ▁track ▁was ▁in ▁operation ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁closed ▁for ▁the ▁fre ew ay ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁The ▁fre ew ay ▁was ▁extended ▁further ▁to ▁M - 5 7 ▁( 1 4   M ile ▁Road ) ▁near ▁C ed ar ▁Spr ings ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁section ▁of ▁express way ▁near ▁Man cel ona ▁was ▁down grad ed ▁to ▁a ▁two - lane ▁highway . ▁The ▁original ▁road way ▁had ▁been ▁left ▁in ▁place ▁when ▁a ▁new ▁parallel ▁carriage way ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁During ▁the ▁winter ▁months , ▁the ▁original ▁lan es ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁were ▁closed ▁because ▁the ▁grade ▁of ▁the ▁road way ▁accum ulated ▁additional ▁snow ▁and ▁made ▁it ▁difficult ▁to ▁p low . ▁The ▁M SH D ▁had ▁considered ▁re construct ing ▁the ▁older ▁road ▁to ▁retain ▁the ▁express way ▁setup , ▁but ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁cost ▁$ 1 . 5   mill ion ▁while ▁removing ▁it ▁and ▁perman ently ▁re config uring ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁road way ▁cost ▁only ▁$ 1 7 0 , 0 0 0 ▁( equ ivalent ▁to ▁$ ▁and ▁$ ▁in ▁).