LANSING – Lane restrictions on more than half of the state’s highway and bridge projects statewide will be reduced or eliminated during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the measure Wednesday to reduce lane restrictions on 55% of MDOT projects to reduce traffic delays during the three-day weekend.
“This Memorial Day weekend, we are temporarily removing the orange barrels and lifting lane restrictions to make travel smoother and easier,” Whitmer said in a news release. “But as soon as Memorial Day is over, we’ll get right back to fixing those damn roads.”
From 3 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Tuesday, lane restrictions will be lifted at 85 of 154 projects statewide, although some equipment will remain in place. Some major projects, including work on the Mackinac Bridge, will continue to impact traffic.
Here is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Memorial Day weekend. If necessary, diversion routes will be placed at the project location.
“With a record number of road and bridge construction underway across the state thanks to increased federal infrastructure investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program, it has never been more important for drivers to follow all postings signs and speed limits in work zones,” said Brad Wieferich, director of State Transportation.
About a dozen major projects are underway in Greater Lansing this year, including the ongoing reconstruction of US 127 between Interstates 96 and 496 and bridge work on I-96 in Eaton and Ingham counties.
Several ramps are closed along the US 127 project area, including at Dunckel and Trowbridge roads. Drivers were advised to follow posted diversions or seek alternative routes in that area.
The ramp from northbound Lansing Road to eastbound I-96 is closed, and South Washington Avenue and Billwood Highway are both closed at I-96. Also note that one lane of M-99 is closed in both directions at I-96.
In Clinton County, one lane of I-69 is closed in each direction between Old 27 and US 127.
The American Automobile Association estimates that more than 1.3 million Michigan residents will travel 50 miles or more from home over the weekend, a 4% increase from last year and the second-highest forecast since 2000, when AAA holiday traffic began to follow.
This article originally appeared in Lansing State Journal: MDOT orange barrels to roll back over holiday weekend
