Interstate 196 provides a regional connection in part with Interstate 94 from the Chicagoland area and Michiana north to Grand Rapids and Muskegon along the east shore of Lake Michigan. Named after Gerald R. Ford, the freeway honors the 38th President of the U.S. 2016 MDOT traffic counts along I-196 peak at 89. 600 vehicles per day (vpd) north of Downtown Grand Rapids. With 20. 915 vpd, the least traveled section of I-196 is the segment between Exits 13 and 18 near South Haven.