June 27, 2007 - - To help make travel easier, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is suspending work on 130 of 164 projects statewide during the Fourth of July holiday.

Beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3, and continuing until 6 a.m. on Thursday, July 5, MDOT is suspending road work wherever possible, in anticipation of the 1.2 million motorists that AAA Michigan estimates will travel Michigan roads for the holiday.

"Even though work will be suspended on most of our projects for the Fourth of July, we urge all motorists to use extra caution when traveling through work zones," said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Wear your safety belt, obey the speed limit, pay attention. These three safety tips will help travelers get safely to and from their holiday destinations."

As in 2006, highway construction zone speed limits with "Where Workers Present 45" signs require 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.

MDOT is responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of state highways which carry approximately 80 percent of all motor vehicle travel in Michigan.

While construction zones may be closed for the holiday, motorists can expect to see safety belt enforcement zones in full swing across the state. Motorists are advised to buckle up to save a ticket, and possibly someone's life.

For up-to-date information, go to the list of statewide lane closures on MDOT's Web site at www.michigan.gov/laneclosures.

Following is a list of work zones that will remain active, or have lane restrictions, during the Fourth of July holiday. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.

The following 63 projects will have some restrictions:

Upper Peninsula

• Southbound I-75, from M-134 to the Mackinac/Chippewa County line in Mackinac County, will have one lane open with a 10-foot width restriction. Both northbound lanes are open, with no restriction.
• The M-134 bridge over I-75 near St. Ignace will have one lane open with traffic regulated by a temporary traffic signal.
• M-35 in Gwinn will have a posted detour in effect, following West Iron Street to M-553.
• US-41 in Menominee will have a posted detour in effect, on 23rd Avenue and 13th Street.
• US-2 in Harris will have a posted detour in effect, following Old US-2 from Eustis Road to County Road 551.
• M-69 in Crystal Falls has a six-block detour, with westbound traffic using Crystal Avenue and River Street, and eastbound traffic using Marquette Avenue and River Street.
• M-69 in Sagola has a three-block detour on Swan Road.
• The M-64 bridges over Halfway Creek and the Cranberry River in Ontonagon County have one lane of alternating traffic, via a temporary traffic signal
• The US-2 Business Route bridge in Ironwood will have a traffic shift in place, with two-way traffic during the holiday.

For more information contact James Lake, Superior Region communications representative, at 906-786-1830 ext. 321.

Northern Lower Peninsula

• US-23 north of Benson Road in Iosco County will have one lane of alternating traffic over the bridge via a temporary traffic signal.
• M-33 from Curtisville Road to Zimowski Road in Oscoda County will have traffic shifts and a reduced speed limit.
• US-131 between M-115 and 14 Mile Road in Osceola and Wexford Counties will have a single lane closure in each direction.
• US-131 will be closed to through-traffic just north of Kalkaska in Kalkaska County. A detour is posted.
• The M-22 bridge in Greilickville, Leelanau County, will have one lane open in each direction.
• I-75 in Cheboygan County near Topinabee will have a work zone speed limit of 60 mph.

For more information contact Bob Felt, North Region communications representative, at 989-731-5090.

West Michigan

• US-31 southbound from Sternberg Road to Van Wagoner Street, near Norton Shores, will have a traffic shift, and US-31 northbound will have a left shoulder closure. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions. The speed limit through this zone is 60 mph.
• M-20, from 13 Mile Road to Mecosta, will have traffic detoured on 14 Mile Road and 80th Avenue.
• M-44, from the east Ionia County line to Broas Street in the city of Belding, will have westbound traffic detoured onto Bridge Street, Ellis Avenue and M-91.
• I-196, between Ottawa and Fuller Avenues in Grand Rapids, will have two lanes open in each direction, but the lanes will be shifted.
• Northbound US-131, between Ann Street and North Park Street in Grand Rapids, will have a minimum of two lanes of traffic maintained on the southbound US-131 roadway. One lane will be maintained on the ramp from northbound US-131 to westbound I-96.
• Westbound Michigan Street over Division Avenue in Grand Rapids will be closed and detoured south on Lafayette Avenue, west on Lyon Street, and north on Ionia Avenue. Eastbound Michigan Street will have one lane open to traffic.
• US-131 Business Route (Division Avenue) in Grand Rapids will be closed between Lyon Street and Newberry Street. Posted detour routes will be in place. The detour for northbound Division will be Lyon Street to Ionia Avenue to Newberry Street. The detour for southbound Division will be Newberry Street to Ottawa Avenue to Lyon Street.
• Both lanes of I-196 at Chicago Drive (Exit 69) near Hudsonville will remain open to traffic. Baldwin Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction between Cottonwood Avenue and Main Street.

For more information contact Dawn Garner, Grand Region communications representative, at 616-451-4063.

Southwest Michigan

• I-94 in Calhoun County east of Marshall will have one lane open in each direction.
• M-43 in Delton will maintain one lane of alternating traffic via temporary traffic signals.
• US-12 in Sturgis from Centreville Road to East Franks Street will have one lane open in each direction. The center left-turn lane will be closed.
• I-94 from Westnedge Avenue to 9th Street in Kalamazoo will have two lanes in each direction open.
• Closed I-94/US-131 ramps in Kalamazoo (detours are posted):
• Southbound US-131 to westbound I-94
• Northbound US-131 to westbound I-94 o Eastbound I-94 to northbound US-131 o Westbound I-94 to southbound US-131

For more information contact Bridgette Gregory, Southwest Region communications representative, at 269-337-3927.

Central Michigan and Thumb

• M-25 at the Wiscoggin Drain bridge, just north of Unionville in Tuscola County, will have one lane of alternating traffic via temporary signals.
• M-25 at the Mud Creek bridge, located at Filion Road in Huron County, is closed and traffic is detoured on Filion Road and Caseville Road. - M-25, near the Sebewaing bridge in Huron County, is closed and traffic is detoured on Main Street and Center Street. Commercial traffic is detoured on Sebewaing Road, Bayport Road and Stein Road, via temporary signals.
• The M-46 bridge, west of M-19, over the Cass River in Sanilac County, is closed and traffic is detoured on M-53, Snover Road and M-19.
• The M-19 bridge over the Cass River, located south of Deckerville Road in Sanilac County, will have one lane of alternating traffic via temporary signal.
• The US-127 bridges over US-10 BR on the east side of Clare (Isabella County) will have two lanes open in each direction, with traffic shifted utilizing a median crossover.
• M-61 at Bard Road in Gladwin County will have a detour using Bard Road.
• I-75, from Bridgeport to Birch Run in Saginaw County, will have southbound traffic shifted to northbound lanes. Three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes will be open.
• Eastbound US-10 over the westbound US-10 exit ramp on the east side of Clare will have one lane closed.

For more information contact Anita Richardson, Bay Region communications representative, at 989-754-0878 ext. 227.

Southern Mid-Michigan

• Southbound US-23, between Silver Lake Road and Barker Road near Brighton, will have one lane open.
• I-94 at Baker Road (Exit 167) west of Ann Arbor, will have one lane open in each direction.
• US-12 in Saline will have one lane open in each direction between Maple and Industrial streets.
• M-17 (Ecorse Road) in Ypsilanti will have one lane open in each direction between US-12 Business Route and US-12.
• US-24 (Telegraph Road) will have one lane open each direction between Stewart Road and Heiss Road in Monroe.
• M-125 between Luna Pier and Albain near Monroe will have one lane open in each direction with the shoulders closed.
• US-23 between Milan and Dundee will have one lane open in each direction.
• I-96 at Grange Road, west of Grand Ledge, will have one lane closed in each direction.
• I-69 from Peacock Road to Shaftsburg will have one lane closed in each direction.
• US-223 at Ogden Highway in Lenawee County will have a traffic shift and shoulder closures.
• M-99 in Hillsdale will have one lane open in each direction downtown.

For more information contact Kari Arend, University Region communications representative, at 517-750-0406.

Metro Detroit Region 

Oakland County

• The northbound and southbound I-75 Business Loop (Wide Track Drive) is reduced to a single lane in Pontiac.
• Northbound and southbound M-1 (Woodward Avenue) is reduced to two lanes between Quarton and Long Lake roads in Birmingham and Bloomfield Township.
• The M-1 (Woodward Avenue) and M-102 (Eight Mile Road) service drives have lane restrictions at the Ferndale/Detroit border.

Oakland County/City of Detroit

• Northbound and southbound M-10 (Lodge Freeway) is closed and detoured between Lahser Road in the city of Southfield and M-8 (Davison Freeway) in the city of Detroit. All traffic is detoured via I-696 and I-75. In addition, the northbound and southbound M-39 (Southfield Freeway) bridges over M-10 are reduced to a single lane in Southfield.

Macomb County

• Eastbound and westbound I-94 is reduced to two lanes between Masonic Boulevard in St. Clair Shores and M-29 (23 Mile Road) in Chesterfield Township.
• The left lane is closed on eastbound and westbound I-696 at M-53 (Van Dyke Avenue) in Warren.

Wayne County

• Northbound and southbound I-75 is reduced to two lanes, with two-way traffic maintained on the southbound side of the freeway, between Fort Street (Exit 28) in Brownstown Township and Northline Road (Exit 37) in Southgate. All northbound exit and entrance ramps from Gibraltar to Sibley are closed and detoured. In addition, the King Road and Sibley Road overpasses are closed and detoured.
•  Eastbound and westbound M-153 (Ford Road) is reduced to a single lane between Mercury Drive and Wyoming Avenue in East Dearborn. In addition, the M-153 ramps to Greenfield Road are closed and detoured. Greenfield Road over M-153 is reduced to a single lane in each direction.
• Northbound and southbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Cherry Hill Road in Dearborn and Joy Road in Detroit.
• Westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) is reduced to a single lane from Howe Road to Heywood Street in the city of Wayne.
• Southbound I-275 exit ramp to US-12 (Michigan Avenue) is reduced to a single lane in Van Buren Township.
• Traffic on M-153 (Ford Road) will be shifted to the eastbound side of Ford Road between Canton Center and Sheldon roads with one lane maintained in each direction in Canton Township.

St. Clair County

• The right lane is closed on eastbound and westbound I-69 between Taylor Road and Range Road in Kimball Township.
• M-136 is closed and detoured between Vincent Road and Glyshaw Road in Clyde Township.

For more information contact Rob Morosi, Metro Region communications representative, at 248-483-5127.