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| MDOT suspends most road work for Memorial Day weekend
Contact:
Bill Shreck 517-335-3084
Agency:
Transportation
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May 21, 2008 -- To help make travel easier, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is removing lane restrictions on 95 of 140 projects statewide during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 23, and continuing until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27, MDOT is suspending road work wherever possible in anticipation of the estimated 1.3 million motorists who will travel Michigan roads this holiday weekend.
"After a harsh winter here in Michigan, we know travelers are ready to get out and enjoy a beautiful summer," said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. "We want to make sure it's a safe summer and are asking drivers to obey the speed limit, buckle up, pay attention, and drive cautiously through work zones for their own protection - even if workers are not present."
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.
Motorists are advised that northbound I-75 at the Zilwaukee Bridge is closed north of Saginaw. MDOT encourages motorists heading northbound on I-75 through Saginaw County to use alternate routes.
For travel to the Upper Peninsula, northwest, west and northeast regions, including the Sunrise Side, Gaylord, Grand Traverse, Petoskey, Cadillac and Ludington areas, motorists are advised to use northbound US-127.
MDOT is advising motorists to consider one of the following alternate routes: Lansing to the east side of the state, take US-127 north to M-20 east to US-10 east to I-75 (north of the Z- bridge); Genesee County Flint Area, take I-69 to I-75; Frankenmuth and Davison Area, take M-15 Heritage Route to I-75 (north of the Z-bridge); Brighton Area, take US-23 north to I-96 west to M-52 north to I-69 east to US-127; Ohio/Detroit Area, take US-23 north to I-94 west to US-127.
Lansing traffic headed to the west side of the state should use US-131 or US-31 to avoid the extra traffic on US-127.
Southbound I-75 at the Zilwaukee Bridge will have all lanes open to traffic.
While construction zones may be closed for the weekend, motorists can expect to see safety belt enforcement zones in full swing across the state. So please buckle up to save your life…and your money!
Check the department's MI Drive Web site before planning your route. Click the "MDOT Halts Most Work for Holiday" notice on the Web site at www.michigan.gov/drive for holiday travel information.
Following is a list of the 45 work zones that will remain active, or have some lane restrictions, during the Memorial Day weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.
Upper Peninsula
- US-41 from Humboldt to Champion in Marquette County with a traffic shift and a 10- foot width restriction.
- US-45 at the Baltimore River bridge in Ontonagon County will maintain one lane of alternating traffic, via a temporary traffic signal.
- US-2 at the Cut River bridge in Mackinac County will have a detour on Cut River Road and Prater Boulevard. Commercial vehicle drivers are encouraged to use I-75, M-123, M- 28, and M-117 as an alternate route around the construction zone.
Northern Lower Peninsula
- M-55 from the north junction of M-66 to 8 Mile Road in Missaukee County will have shoulder closures and traffic shifts in Lake City. Two lanes of traffic in each direction will remain open.
- Southbound I-75 from Riggsville Road to Topinabee Mail Route in Cheboygan County will have one lane open with a 10-foot width restriction.
- US-31 from Shaw to Graham roads in Emmet County will have one lane open in each direction with traffic shifts.
- US-23 in Alpena from the Long Rapids/Johnson Street intersection to north of French Road will have all lanes maintained with traffic shifts.
- I-75 on the Mackinac Bridge will have one lane open in each direction through Friday, May 23. Beginning Saturday, May 24, two lanes of southbound traffic will be maintained with one lane northbound.
West Michigan
- M-91 from Wise Road to Peck Road in Montcalm County will have traffic shifts with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction and 11-foot width restriction.
- US-131 from West River Drive to 10 Mile Road in Kent County will have two lanes open in each direction with lane shifts. The on-ramp from 10 Mile Road to southbound US-131, and the off-ramp from southbound US-131 to Post Drive will be closed and detoured.
- I-196 from Kenowa Avenue to M-11 in Kent County will have one lane of traffic maintained eastbound and two lanes westbound.
The following ramps will be closed and detoured:
- Westbound I-196 off-ramp to Chicago Drive
- Westbound I-196 on-ramp from westbound 44th Street
- Westbound I-196 on-ramp from westbound Chicago Drive
- Eastbound I-196 on-ramp from eastbound and westbound Chicago Drive
- M-11 between US-131 and Division Avenue in Kent County will have one lane open in each direction and a 10-foot width restriction. A center left-turn lane will be maintained. Some turning movements will be restricted.
- M-20 in Newaygo County from M-37 to Elm Street will be closed and detoured.
Southwest Michigan
- I-194/M-66 interchange at Dickman Road in Battle Creek will be closed and detoured.
- M-86 in the village of Colon will have one lane of alternating traffic open via temporary traffic signals.
- The following ramps will be closed at the I-94/US-131 interchange:
- Eastbound I-94 to northbound US-131
- Westbound I-94 to southbound US-131
- Northbound US-131 to eastbound I-94
- Northbound US-131 to westbound I-94
- Eastbound I-94 to southbound US-131
- Southbound US-131 to eastbound I-94
- I-94 at Mile Marker 5 in Berrien County will have two lanes of traffic open in each direction.
- M-63 over Higman Park Road in Berrien County will have one lane open in each direction.
- Phoenix Road over I-196 will have one lane open in each direction in South Haven. Also, the ramp from eastbound Phoenix Road to northbound I-196 is closed and detoured.
Central Michigan and Thumb
- M-81 bridge over the Marsh Drain in Tuscola County will maintain one lane of alternating traffic using temporary traffic signals.
- M-25 bridge over Pigeon River at Caseville in Huron County will maintain one lane of alternating traffic using temporary traffic signals.
- M-24 from Pratt Road to I-69 in Lapeer County will maintain one southbound lane and two northbound lanes open.
- I-475 from Saginaw Road to I-75 in Genesee County will have northbound lanes completely closed with a traffic detour posted. Southbound lanes will remain open with intermittent shoulder closures in effect.
- I-75 northbound lanes across the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw County will be completely closed to traffic. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes. Southbound lanes will remain open.
- I-75 from Birch Run to Bridgeport in Saginaw County will have three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes open from Wednesday, May 21, through Saturday, May 24. Beginning Saturday, May 24, through Wednesday, May 28, three southbound and two northbound lanes will be open.
- I-75 from M-84 (Hotchkiss Road) to south of US-10 in Bay County will have three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes open from Wednesday, May 21, through Saturday, May 24. Beginning Saturday, May 24, through Wednesday, May 28, three southbound and two northbound lanes will be open.
Southern Mid-Michigan
- US-127 BR in St. Johns will be closed north of M-21 with a detour posted.
- M-52 in Bennington Township over the Maple River will have one lane open. Traffic will be maintained by a temporary signal.
- M-36 in Mason between Steele Street and Temple Street will be closed with a detour posted.
- Farm Lane on the campus of Michigan State University, north of Mt. Hope Road, will be closed with a detour posted.
- Old US-27 from I-69 in Charlotte to I-69 north of Potterville will be closed with a detour posted.
- M-99 over the Grand River in Windsor Township will have one lane open in each direction.
- US-127 between Leslie and Jackson will have one lane open in each direction.
- I-94 at Dearing Road (Exit 133) will have ramp closures with posted detours. Two lanes will be maintained in each direction on I-94 with a traffic shift.
- US-127 over the Bean Creek, south of Hudson, will have one lane open. Traffic will be maintained with a temporary signal.
- M-59 near Howell between Byron Road and Mallard Pond will have one lane open in each direction with traffic shifted to the northbound shoulder.
- The Sandstone Rest Area off eastbound I-94, west of Jackson, will be closed.
- The Grass Lake Rest Area off westbound I-94, east of Jackson, will be closed.
Metro Detroit Region
City of Detroit
- Northbound and southbound I-75 will be closed between Clark Street (Exit 47A) and the I- 96 split (Exit 48) in southwest Detroit. Posted detour is northbound I-275 to eastbound I- 94, back to northbound I-75. In conjunction, the left lane of southbound I-75 will be closed from M-3 to the I-96 split. Also, the Vernor Road overpass above I-75 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction.
- Two lanes will be open on northbound and southbound I-75/I-375 between Jefferson Avenue and I-94 in Detroit. In conjunction, the right lane of northbound I-75 will be closed from Cass Avenue to the northbound I-75 (Fisher Freeway) to the northbound I-75 (Chrysler Freeway) ramp. Also, the Warren Avenue and Wilkins Road overpasses will be closed.
- The left two lanes will be closed on westbound I-96 from Martin Luther King Boulevard to Warren Avenue, and the left lane of eastbound I-96 will be closed from I-94 to the I-75 merge in Detroit.
- The ramps from southbound M-10 to eastbound I-94, and from northbound M-10 to westbound I-94 will be closed. Detours will be posted.
Oakland County
- The following ramps will be closed at the I-75/I-696 interchange with a posted detour:
- Southbound I-75 to eastbound I-696
- Northbound I-75 to eastbound I-696
- Eastbound I-696 to northbound I-75
- The following ramps will be closed at the I-96/Wixom Road interchange in Wixom:
- Wixom Road entrance ramp to westbound I-96
- Westbound I-96 exit ramp to Wixom Road
- Wixom Road to eastbound I-96
St. Clair County
- I-94 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction with a traffic shift between Allington Road and Gratiot Avenue in Marysville. In conjunction, the Rattle Run overpass above I-94 will be closed.
- M-19 will be closed between Burt Road and Dunnigan Road in the village of Emmett. A detour will be posted.
Macomb County
- M-29 (23 Mile Road) will be reduced to a single lane in each direction between Baker Road and I-94 in Chesterfield Township.
Wayne County
- The following ramps will be closed at the I-275/7 Mile Road interchange in Livonia:
- Eastbound 7 Mile Road entrance to northbound I-275
- Southbound I-275 exit to eastbound 7 Mile Road
- Northbound I-275 exit to westbound 7 Mile Road
- Westbound 7 Mile Road entrance to northbound I-275
In conjunction, 7 Mile Road will be reduced to a single lane in each direction over I-275.
Detours will be posted.
- Eastbound and westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) will have a single lane closed under Greenfield Road in Dearborn for ongoing bridge work. Northbound and southbound Greenfield Road over US-12 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction.
- Eastbound and westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) will have the right lane closed over the Rouge River in Dearborn.
- A single lane will be closed on the northbound I-75 ramp to northbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) in the city of Taylor.
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45! - A message from MDOT and Michigan's Give 'em a Brake Safety Coalition
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