Aug. 31, 2009 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is removing over two-thirds of lane restrictions on state routes this weekend to accommodate Labor Day holiday traffic.
Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, MDOT is removing lane restrictions on 105 out of 159 projects statewide in anticipation of the estimated 1.4 million travelers throughout Michigan this holiday weekend.
"We would like motorists heading out for their last summer holiday to have fun and be safe," said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. "There is a new emphasis on focused driving, and that means keeping distractions to a minimum, including not sending or reading text messages while you are behind the wheel. We want everyone to reach their destinations safely."
To help make this Labor Day weekend safe and enjoyable for travel, motorists also are advised to obey the posted speed limits, drive with caution, and to pay close attention to road signs and orange barrels as they navigate construction zones.
Since 2006, highway construction zone speed-limit signs with "Where Workers Present 45" have required motorists to reduce their speed to 45 mph where workers are present. Motorists can maintain the posted speed limit, except when in the vicinity of workers. This change helped reduce the number of work zone crashes, injuries and fatalities last year, while improving traffic flow in those areas.
To promote safe and responsible driving, the annual effort to mobilize deputies and officers from sheriff's departments and local police agencies will be in full swing across the state. Motorists who ignore safety belt laws can expect to be stopped and ticketed. So please buckle up. The life you save may be your own - or the life of someone you love!
As always, before planning your route, MDOT advises motorists to check the MI Drive Web site. Click the "MDOT Halts Most Work for Holiday" notice on the Web site at www.michigan.gov/drive for holiday travel information. Follow MDOT at www.twitter.com/MichiganDOT or visit the "Michigan Department of Transportation" page on Facebook and become a fan.
Following is a list of the 54 work zones that will remain active, or have some lane restrictions, during the Labor Day weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.
Upper Peninsula
- US-2 Cut River Bridge, Mackinac County, will remain closed with traffic detoured on Cut River Road and Prater Boulevard.
- US-41 in Harvey will have one lane of traffic open in each direction, with a center left-turn lane at the M-28 intersection.
- US-41/Shelden Avenue in downtown Houghton will be closed to through-traffic. Northbound US-41 traffic will be detoured to Montezuma Avenue. Southbound US-41 traffic will be detoured on M-26, Sharon Avenue, and MacInnes Drive.
For more information, contact James Lake, Superior Region Communications Representative, at 906-786-1830, ext. 323.
Northern Lower Peninsula
- I-75 Business Loop (BL) in downtown Grayling, Crawford County. Northbound traffic must use detour on local routes. I-75 BL/M-72 east intersection lane closures.
- M-22 bridge (Glen Lake narrows) in Glen Arbor, Leelanau County, will be closed. A detour will be posted.
- M-37 bridge over Little Manistee River, Lake County, will have lane closures regulated with a temporary traffic signal.
- US-23 Business Route (BR) in Rogers City, Presque Isle County, will have one lane open in each direction with traffic shifts.
- US-131 in Mancelona, Antrim County, will have one lane open in each direction with traffic shifts.
- US-131 BR in downtown Cadillac, Wexford County, will have one lane in each direction open and lane closures from Pearl to River streets.
For more information, contact Bob Felt, North Region Communications Representative, at 989-731-5090.
West Michigan
- College Avenue over I-196, Kent County. One lane of College Avenue will be maintained in each direction. The eastbound I-196 exit ramp to College Avenue is closed. The College Avenue entrance ramp to eastbound I-196 is closed. There is a traffic shift on eastbound and westbound I-196 with two lanes open in both directions.
- I-196, Kent and Ottawa counties. Eastbound I-196 at Baldwin Avenue is closed. One lane of eastbound I-196 and two lanes of westbound I-196 traffic will be maintained. The Chicago Drive on-ramp to eastbound I-196 is closed. The westbound Chicago Drive on-ramp to westbound I-196 is closed.
- M-20 single-lane closure over the White River, Newaygo County. One lane is maintained with the use of a traffic signal.
- M-37 northbound is closed from M-46 to Bailey Road, Muskego County. Traffic is detoured on Canada Road and Bailey Road.
- US-131 median lanes closed at 44th Street, Kent County. The northbound US-131 exit ramp to 44th Street is closed. The 44th Street on-ramp to southbound US-131 is closed.
For more information, contact John Richard, Grand Region Communications Representative, at 616-451-4063.
Southwest Michigan
- I-94 through Portage, Kalamazoo County, will have shoulder closures at Westnedge Avenue.
- I-94 bridge over Riverside Drive in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, has two lanes open in each direction with a lane shift. Riverside Drive is closed under the bridge.
- I-94 BL through downtown Benton Harbor, Berrien County, will be reduced to one westbound lane. Eastbound traffic will be detoured.
- I-196, Allegan County, will have lane closures from 71st Street to 118th Avenue.
- M-51 over McKinzie Creek north of Niles, Berrien County, will be reduced to one lane in alternating directions using traffic signals.
- M-51 over Peavine Creek is closed 4 miles south of Dowagiac, Cass County, and traffic detoured on county roads around the west side of M-51.
- US-12 through Quincy, Branch County, has two lanes open with a lane shift.
- US-31 from US-12 to the Michigan/Indiana state line, Berrien County, will have two northbound lanes and one southbound lane open.
- M-89 in Otsego, Allegan County, will have lane shifts from Farmer Street to the Kalamazoo River.
- M-40 bridge over the Rabbit River in Hamilton, Allegan County, will have lane closures regulated by a temporary traffic signal.
For more information, contact Nick Schirripa, Southwest Region Communications Representative, at 269-337-3927.
Central Michigan and Thumb
- I-69 from M-15 to M-24 through Genesee and Lapeer counties has one lane open in each direction. Ramps and bridges remain open to traffic.
- I-69 Swartz Creek Rest Area, Genesee County, will remain closed. All lanes on I-69 will be open to traffic.
- I-675, Saginaw County, will have one lane open from the I-675/I-75 north junction to the Tittabawassee Road exit. I-675 is closed from the Tittabawassee Road exit south to the 5th/6th Street exit with one lane open from the 5th/6th Street exits south to the I-675/I-75 south junction.
- M-13 from Hess Avenue to north of M-46 (Rust Avenue), Saginaw County, is closed with a posted detour.
- M-25 (Center Avenue) from Johnson Street to Livingston Avenue in Bay City, Bay County, will have eastbound and westbound truck traffic rerouted via M-84, Kosciuszko Avenue, and Pine Road. Eastbound and westbound car traffic will be rerouted via M-84, Kosciuszko Avenue and Scheurmann Road.
- M-46 over the Tittabawassee River and East Overflow, Saginaw County, will have at least one lane open in each direction on M-46.
- US-10 over Sanford Lake, Midland County, has two lanes open in each direction with wide load restrictions in effect across the bridge.
For more information, contact Anita Richardson, Bay Region Communications Representative, at 989-754-0878, ext. 227.
Southern Mid-Michigan
- Farm Lane on the campus of Michigan State University, Ingham County, north of Mt. Hope Road, will be closed with a detour posted.
- I-69 between M-52 and the Genesee/Shiawassee county line will have two lanes maintained in each direction with a shoulder closure.
- I-69 between Peacock and Chandler Road, Clinton County, will have two lanes maintained in each direction with a shoulder closure.
- I-94 between the Jackson/Washtenaw county line and Parker Road will have two lanes open in each direction with a shoulder closure.
- I-96 between US-23 and the Livingston/Oakland county line will have three lanes maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-96 between US-127 and M-52, Ingham County, will have two lanes open in each direction with a possible shoulder closure.
- M-21 near M-13, Shiawassee County, will have one lane maintained with a temporary signal.
- M-43 between Meridian Road and Van Atta Road in Meridian Township will have one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift.
- M-49 in Litchfield, Hillsdale County, is closed through the downtown area with a detour posted.
- M-49 in Reading, Hillsdale County, has southbound traffic detoured around the downtown area. Northbound M-49 traffic is being maintained.
- M-99 in the city of Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, will have one lane maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- US-127 southbound ramp to eastbound I-96, Ingham County, will have one lane open.
For more information, contact Kari Arend, University Region Communications Representative, at 517-750-0406.
Metro Detroit Region
City of Detroit
- The left lanes of eastbound and westbound I-96 are closed at Davison Avenue for ongoing bridge repair.
- The M-102 (8 Mile Road) bridge over M-10 is closed. All M-102 traffic is detoured to the service drive bridges in each direction.
Wayne County
- The northbound and southbound Haggerty Road entrance ramps to westbound I-94 are closed.
- US-12 (Michigan Avenue) has two lanes open in each direction over the Rouge River Bridge in Dearborn for ongoing bridge replacement work. The southbound M-39 (Southfield Freeway) ramp to westbound US-12 also is closed and detoured.
Macomb County
- The left lanes of eastbound and westbound I-696 are closed between I-94 and M-97 (Groesbeck Highway).
- M-53 (Van Dyke Freeway) will have two lanes open in each direction between 18 Mile Road and 27 Mile Road via traffic shifts.
Oakland County
- 9 Mile Road over I-75 is closed and detoured.
- Halsted Road over I-696 is closed and detoured.
- I-75 has two lanes open in each direction between Pontiac Road and Lapeer Road for ongoing bridge repair.
- I-96 has three lanes maintained in each direction with traffic shifts for ongoing bridge and pavement repair. All freeway lanes are open with a posted 60 mph speed limit. In addition, the northbound and southbound Novi Road entrance ramps to eastbound I-96 are closed.
- M-59 has two lanes open in each direction via traffic shifts with a 60 mph posted speed limit for ongoing bridge and pavement repair.
- US-24 BR (Square Lake Road) has a single lane closed for ongoing pavement repair.
For more information, contact Robert Morosi, Metro Region Communications Representative, at 248-483-5127.
MDOT: Working to improve our state roads and bridges.
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