The U.S.-131 overpass project next to the Gun Lake Casino at Exit No. 61 has been completed and the facility is open to motorists who want to travel on M-179 (129th Avenue).

Casino officials Tuesday morning held a ceremony to welcome the opening of the road, the result of a $23.7 million overpass project that was funded mostly (90 percent) by the Gun Lake Tribe of Pottawatomis.

Thomas Sabin, engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation and project manager, said, “There are many things that have made this a once-in-a-career project… It’s been five years in the making and we are proud to have this open to the public slightly ahead of schedule.”

The overpass, originally constructed in 1959 as the Bradley/Hastings exit, is a single-point urban interchange (SPUI), which is intended to move large volumes of traffic efficiently and safely.

The design allows opposing left turns to proceed simultaneously by reducing the two intersections into a single intersection over the expressway.

Bob Peters, chairman of the Gun Lake Tribe, said, “This improved gateway is vital to our vision, and we are thankful that MDOT helped make it a reality. MDOT was able to replace and modernize this interchange while keeping it open and maintaining access for our customers.”

The project was begun in March and it finished a month early, replaced the original interchange.

Gun Lake Casino, about three miles south of the Wayland exit,  features more than 2,200 slot machines, 50 table games, a 225-seat café, and a 300-seat buffet, besides bars, lounges and live entertainment.