BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- Officials of the Michigan Department of Transportation who are working on the US 31/I-94 connector project say their progress is “on time and on budget”.

Asphalt is currently being poured on the westbound part of I-94 that is under construction and is projected to be complete by Thanksgiving.

Officials say the three and a half miles of brand-new highway is estimated to take another year and a half to be completed.

"It's very unique that we're building some new freeway grade. That doesn't happen very often in Michigan anymore. So, that section of 31 that's not built yet from Napier Avenue up to I-94 is a new alignment,” said Kenton McAndrew, MDOT Construction Engineer.

All construction for this connector project is scheduled to be completed by the end of May 2023.