Michigan construction guide: What to know for Labor Day weekend travel

60% of projects are lifting lane restrictions

Construction barrels (WDIV)

Some good news for those traveling in Michigan this Labor Day weekend -- most of the state’s construction projects are taking a break. But some will remain active.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is removing lane restrictions on nearly 60 percent of its road and bridge projects statewide to ease traffic delays for holiday travelers.

Recommended Videos



Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, 96 out of 162 projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed. While motorists will see suspended operations in most MDOT work zones for the weekend, drivers are advised that equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.

Travelers are also reminded that, for safety and security, the Mackinac Bridge will be closed to public traffic on Labor Day from 6:30 a.m. to noon during the Annual Bridge Walk. Southbound I-75 and US-2 traffic will be stopped at Exit 344 on the north side of the bridge; northbound I-75 traffic will be stopped at Exit 337 on the south end. For more information, visit the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) website at www.MackinacBridge.org/Walk or call the MBA at 906-643-7600.

MDOT oversees I, M, and US routes and is responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of state highways, which carry more than 50 percent of all traffic and approximately 70 percent of commercial traffic in Michigan.

Here’s a list of which projects WILL REMAIN ACTIVE this Labor Day weekend:

Wayne County

  • I-75 has two northbound lanes open at Dix Highway.
  • I-75 has three northbound lanes open from Springwells to Clark streets and three southbound lanes open from Vernor Avenue to Junction Street.
  • I-75/M-8 (Davison Freeway) interchange has the following restrictions:
    I-75 has two lanes open in each direction between Clay Street and Caniff Avenue.
    M-8 has two lanes open in each direction between John R and Goddard roads.
    The northbound and southbound I-75 ramps to eastbound M-8 are closed.
  • I-94/M-10 (Lodge Freeway) interchange will have the following restrictions:
    The northbound M-10 ramp to westbound I-94 is closed.
    The westbound I-94 ramps to northbound and southbound M-10 are closed.
  • I-96 has the eastbound and westbound ramps to eastbound I-94 closed.
  • I-275 has the following restrictions:
    I-275 has two lanes open in each direction between I-94 and M-14/I-96.
    The northbound I-275 ramp to westbound M-14 is closed.
    The westbound Ann Arbor Road, westbound Ford Road, and westbound Michigan Avenue ramps to southbound I-275 ramps are closed.
    The I-275 exit ramp to Ecorse Road is closed.
    The westbound M-14 ramp to southbound I-275 is closed.
    The eastbound M-14 ramps to northbound and southbound I-275 are closed.
  • M-1 (Woodward Avenue) has two northbound lanes open at State Fair Street and two southbound lanes open at Carmel Street.
  • M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has all southbound lanes closed from St. Antoine to Brush streets.
  • US-12 (Michigan Avenue) has two lanes open in each direction between Oakwood Boulevard and Greenfield Road. The westbound US-12 ramp to southbound M-39 is closed.
  • US-24 (Telegraph Road) has two lanes open in each direction between I-94 and US-12.

Macomb County

  • M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has two lanes open in each direction between 12 Mile and 14 Mile roads; the eastbound I-94 ramp to M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) is closed.
  • M-59 has two lanes open in each direction between M-97 (Groesbeck Highway) and I-94. The eastbound I-94 ramps to eastbound and westbound M-59 are closed, as well as the westbound M-59 ramp to westbound I-94.
  • M-97 (Groesbeck Highway) has the right northbound lane closed from 14 Mile to 15 Mile roads.

Oakland County

  • I-75 has the following restrictions:
    I-75 has two lanes open in each direction between I-696 and 14 Mile Road.
    The eastbound and westbound I-696 ramps to northbound I-75 are closed.
    The northbound I-75 exit ramps to 11 Mile and 12 Mile roads are closed.
    The southbound I-75 exit ramp to 12 Mile Road is closed.
  • I-75 has the northbound exit ramp to University Drive closed; the Chrysler Drive entrance ramp to northbound I-75 is closed.
  • I-96 has the following restrictions:
    I-96 has two lanes open in each direction between I-275 and Kent Lake Road.
    The eastbound I-96 exit ramps to Milford and Wixom roads are closed.
    The Kent Lake Road and Milford Road entrance ramps to eastbound I-96 are closed.

Southern Michigan

  • I-69, Clinton County, has the following restrictions:
    The westbound I-69 ramp to westbound I-96 is closed.
    The westbound I-69 ramp to Francis Road is closed.
    The Airport Road ramp to westbound I-69 is closed.
  • I-69, Eaton and Calhoun counties, has the following restrictions:
    Northbound and southbound I-69 each have one lane closed at Cochran Road.
    One lane of southbound I-69 is closed at M-50.
    The M-50 ramp to northbound I-69 is closed.
    The northbound I-69 ramp to Ainger Road is closed.
    The M-78 ramp to northbound I-69 is closed.
  • I-75, Monroe County, has one lane closed in each direction between Erie Road and Otter Creek Road.
  • I-75, Monroe County, has the following restrictions:
    I-75 has one lane closed in each direction at Swan Creek Road/Newport Road.
    The northbound I-75 exit and entrance ramps at Swan Creek Road/Newport Road (Exit 21) are closed.
    Swan Creek Road/Newport Road has one lane open in each direction at I-75.
    Nadeau Road is closed at I-75.
  • I-94, Jackson County, has the following restrictions:
    The Elm Street ramps to eastbound and westbound I-94 are closed.
    The eastbound I-94 ramp to Elm Street is closed.
  • I-96 Business Loop, Ingham County, has one lane open in each direction between Delta Street and Mildred Street.
  • I-496 in Lansing, Ingham County, has the following restrictions:
    I-496 is closed in each direction between M-99 and Grand Avenue. Traffic is detoured onto the adjacent service drives (St. Joseph and Malcolm X streets).
    The Lansing Road ramp to eastbound I-496 is closed.
    The westbound I-496 ramp to Main Street is closed.
    Hungerford Street is closed over I-496.
    Grand Avenue is closed over I-496.
    Capitol Avenue is closed over I-496.
  • M-43 (Grand River Avenue), Ingham County, has one lane closed in each direction between Park Lake Road and Oak Point Court. Okemos Road is closed at M-43.
  • M-50 (Brooklyn Road), has the ramps to northbound US-127 and Oaklane Road closed.
  • US-12 Business Route (BR)/M-17 in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, has the following restrictions:
    US-12 BR will have one lane open in each direction over I-94.
    The southbound US-12 BR ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed.
    The northbound US-12 BR ramp to westbound I-94 is closed.
  • US-24, Monroe County, has one lane closed in each direction with a traffic shift from Townsquare Boulevard to Newburg Road.
  • US-127, Ingham County, has one lane closed in each direction from the Jackson County line to M-36.
  • US-127, Jackson County, has one lane closed in each direction between south of M-50 (Brooklyn Road) and south of South Street.
  • US-127, Jackson County, will have the northbound ramp to westbound I-94 closed.

Central Michigan and Thumb

  • I-69, Genesee County, will have two lanes open in each direction from Hammerberg Road to M-54. Ramps throughout the project limits, including at the I-69/I-475 interchange, are closed and detoured.
  • I-69, Lapeer County, has one lane open in each direction between Lake Pleasant Road and Newark Road.
  • M-21, Shiawassee County, is closed and detoured at Durand Road.
  • M-46 (Holland Road), Saginaw and Tuscola counties, may be under flag control between Towerline and Saginaw roads through Friday, Sept. 2.
  • M-90, Sanilac County, is closed over the Black River and detoured via Todd, Galbraith Line, and Wildcat roads.
  • US-23 Connector, Arenac County, has the westbound lanes closed. Sagatoo Road is closed and detoured. US-23 through Standish has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift.

Southwest Michigan

  • I-69, Calhoun County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift from I-94 to Ainger Road in Eaton County.
  • I-69, Calhoun County, has one lane open in each direction between M-60 and Marshall Drive.
  • I-94, Berrien County, has two lanes open in each direction with a traffic shift from I-196 to Puetz Road. The southbound I-196 ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed and detoured.
  • I-94, Calhoun County, has two lanes open in each direction at I-69 with a traffic shift. The eastbound I-94 ramp to southbound I-69 and the southbound I-69 ramp to westbound I-94 are closed with detours posted.
  • I-94, Kalamazoo County, has ramp closures at Portage Road and Sprinkle Road; Portage Road has one lane open in each direction with no left turns at Kilgore Road.

West Michigan

  • I-96, Kent County, has one westbound lane open with a traffic shift between Whitneyville Avenue and 36th Street. The following ramps will be closed:
    The westbound I-96 ramp to westbound M-6,
    The eastbound M-6 ramp to westbound I-96, and
    The 36th Street ramp to eastbound I-96.
  • I-96, Kent County, has the eastbound ramp to southbound US-131 closed with a posted detour. The M-37 (Alpine Avenue) ramp to southbound US-131 is also closed.
  • I-96, Muskegon County, has one lane open in each direction at Hile Road near US-31. The eastbound I-96 ramp to Hile Road is also closed.
  • I-96, Muskegon County, has one lane open in each direction over Norris Creek near Fruitport.
  • I-196, Allegan County, has one lane open in each direction over the Kalamazoo River between 130th Avenue and Old Allegan Road with a traffic shift.
  • I-196, Kent County, has westbound lanes shifted at the I-196 Business Loop (Chicago Drive) interchange in Grandville. The eastbound I-196 ramp to Chicago Drive is closed, and the Chicago Drive ramp to westbound I-196 is also closed.
  • I-196, Ottawa County, has a traffic shift with two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane open between Hudsonville and Zeeland.
  • M-6, Kent County, has one eastbound lane open from Thornapple River Drive to I-96.
  • M-37, Kent County, has the southbound lane closed and detoured between 15 Mile and 13 Mile roads.
  • M-91, Montcalm County, is closed over the Flat River just north of Stanton Road.
  • US-31, Allegan County, has the northbound lanes closed at I-196 with traffic detoured to Adams Street (Exit 52). The southbound US-31 ramp to Washington Avenue/Blue Star Highway is closed.

Northern Lower Peninsula

  • I-75 in Mackinaw City, Emmet County, has the southbound ramp to US-23 (Exit 338) closed; local traffic is detoured to Jamet Street (Exit 339) to access city streets.
  • M-55, Iosco and Ogemaw counties, will have one lane of alternating traffic with temporary traffic signals on the bridge over the Au Gres River.
  • M-66, Charlevoix County, has through-traffic detoured between Lord Road and Lacroix Road via US-131, M-88 and US-31.
  • US-31, Manistee County, has one lane open at M-22 with a temporary traffic signal. M-22 is closed between US-31 and Schoedel Road.

Upper Peninsula

  • I-75, Mackinac County, has one northbound lane open over the Pine River, north of M-134.
  • M-28 in Munising, Alger County, has two lanes open between Commercial Street and Bay View Street with a traffic shift.
  • M-64, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Floodwood River west of Ontonagon via temporary signals.
  • M-94 in Manistique, Schoolcraft County, has a posted detour in place for eastbound and westbound traffic.
  • US-2 in Bessemer, Gogebic County, has a posted detour in place for eastbound US-2 traffic.
  • US-2, Gogebic County, has one lane open in alternating directions over Tenderfoot Creek via temporary signals west of Watersmeet.
  • US-2, Gogebic County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Cisco Branch of the Ontonagon River via temporary signals west of Watersmeet.
  • US-41 (College Avenue) in Houghton, Houghton County, has a posted detour in place for southbound US-41 traffic.
  • US-41 in Marquette, Marquette County, has two through-lanes and a center left-turn lane open between Blemhuber Avenue and Furnace Street with a traffic shift.
  • US-45, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over Roselawn Creek via temporary signals southeast of Ewen.

About the Author

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

Recommended Videos