The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced the proposed highway in early November 2006.

Recent developments in MDOT schedules had construction starting on the Grand River bridge after federal approval was secured with the remainder of the project deferred until additional funding is in place.

It runs due north through a mix of farm fields and forest lands in Ottawa County.

[5] The highway is expected to reduce response times for emergency services in the area by shortening the driving distance across the Grand River.

The bridge over the Grand River was to be built starting in 2010 following the final approvals from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in late 2009 or early 2010.

This document allowed MDOT to begin the final engineering, land acquisitions and construction of the project.

The ROD also encompassed planned improvements to the US 31 corridor north of Holland and in Grand Haven.

[18] By January 4, 2013, MDOT had completed work on a bridge over North Cedar Drive, additional ramps at the I-96 and M-104 interchange, and reconstruction and widening of M-104 near I-96.

MDOT planned to build 1.4 miles (2.3 km) of the new highway in 2013, including the bridges over the Grand River and Little Robinson Creek.

[20] MDOT announced in August 2015 that they would hold a "M23.1k Run" on October 3, 2015, before the highway opened to traffic.

At the time, MDOT did not have funding nor a timeline for such an extension, although they identified a potential corridor to local media.

Ottawa County is working with local communities such as Zeeland Township on these zoning changes that are designed to preserve potential right-of-way for the highway.