ANN ARBOR, MI - A portion of the new "Flex Route" rush-hour lane on U.S. 23 north of Ann Arbor opened for use during the morning commute on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

The route, touted by officials as the first of its kind in Michigan, adds a third lane for traffic on U.S. 23 during peak travel hours - from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. daily - from Ann Arbor to Nine Mile Road.

On Wednesday, the extra lane opened for a limited portion of the road.

Starting Wednesday, the lane is open between M-14 and Six Mile Road to southbound traffic between 6 and 9:30 a.m. and open to northbound traffic between 3 and 7 p.m. in that area, Michigan Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kari Arend said in an email.

Construction on U.S. 23 north of 6 Mile Road will continue until early next week, she said. Then, the route is expected to become fully operational between M-14 and just south of M-36.

The Flex Route uses overhead signals to tell drivers if the extra lane is open for use - a green arrow for open and a red "X" for closed. Drivers who attempt to use the lane while it is closed could be ticketed.

Lights above the standard lanes will indicate suggested speed or if a crash is ahead, using a yellow arrow to tell travelers to merge into other lanes.

Arend previously said flex lanes are not a "true lane" but rather an upgraded shoulder. A "true" third lane, used throughout the day, would have required a regulation size lane and shoulder.

Gov. Rick Snyder said at a press conference Monday that the estimated cost of widening the highway for a standard third lane would have been around $400 million, instead of the Flex Route's $92 million price tag.

MDOT officials have also said traffic flow is most impacted during rush hours.

"As I look across the highway each morning and evening coming home, I get to see a lot of constituents caught up in traffic, and that's not a good thing," Snyder said. "We've seen this situation for a long time and it'll be great to have a solution put in place."

Did you drive the Flex Route on Wednesday? Share your experience in the comments.