TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 3, contractors for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin work rebuilding a portion of US-31 near Interlochen, requiring a detour on local roads. Work this fall is focused on removing unsuitable soil and peat near the Cedar Hedge Creek and Tonawanda Creek bridges. Temporary widening on US-31 to maintain traffic next year is scheduled to begin Sept. 2.
This work is part of an overall $32.5 million project to rebuild a 7.8-mile section of US-31 from Sullivan Road in Green Lake Township, Grand Traverse County, to Reynolds Road in Inland Township, Benzie County, in 2025 and 2026. The proposed work will include roadway rebuilding and widening to improve pavement condition and provide safety improvements with the addition of center left-turn lanes, widened paved shoulders and rumble strips. The South Long Lake Road/J. Maddy Parkway intersection will be rebuilt as a roundabout.
"Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to grow our economy, helping Michiganders go to work, drop their kids off at school and run errands safely," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "By the end of this construction season, we will have fixed, repaired or replaced nearly 24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges, supporting thousands of good-paying, local jobs without raising taxes by a dime. This year, let's build on our momentum to pass a bipartisan local road funding plan so we can keep fixing our damn roads and creating good-paying, local jobs."
County:
Grand Traverse
Highway:
US-31
Closest community:
Interlochen
Start date:
Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025
Estimated end date:
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
Traffic restrictions:
This phase of construction will require a detour for US-31 through-traffic using Gonder Road, Riley Road, J. Maddy Parkway, Youker Road and County Road 633. These routes have been improved to handle the additional traffic. Temporary traffic signals will be installed at the Riley Road/J. Maddy Parkway, J. Maddy Parkway/Youker Road, and Youker Road/County Road 633 intersections; timing and equipment at the US-31/County Road 633 signal will be modified during construction.
Beginning Sept. 2, US-31 traffic west of Gonder Road will be reduced to one lane of alternating traffic with traffic regulators.
Access to residences and businesses in the construction zone will be maintained.
Jobs numbers:
Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 310 jobs.
Safety benefit:
This phase of the project will keep the work zones safe and provide a safe detour route for US-31 traffic during construction.
