Less road construction for Labor Day weekend

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will make travel easier for motorists this Labor Day holiday by lifting traffic restrictions on 96 of 140 projects statewide. Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, MDOT will suspend construction wherever possible on state roads and bridges in anticipation of the estimated 1.2 million people AAA Michigan says will be traveling this holiday weekend in Michigan.

“With the close of the summer travel season, we want residents and visitors to enjoy the best that Michigan has to offer and to be able to get to their destination safely,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. “While most MDOT work zones will be open and free of orange barrels this weekend, we urge motorist to use caution and remain vigilant when traveling across the state this holiday season. Motorists need to watch for lane restrictions and traffic shifts in those work zones that are still active.”

Motorists are encouraged to regularly check MDOT’s popular Mi Drive traffic Web site (www.michigan.gov/drive) for traffic incident alerts, live traffic Web cams, and additional construction information.

Over the Labor Day holiday, the following 44 work zones will have active lane restrictions in place:

Upper Peninsula

– M-26 in Laurium, Houghton County, will be detoured. Third Street will be closed with traffic detoured on Lake Linden Avenue and US-41 to M-26.

– M-28 near Raco, Chippewa County, will be open in each direction with a 9-foot width restriction.

– M-35 in Menominee, Menominee County, will have traffic detoured onto city streets.

– M-64, Ontonagon County, will have one lane open controlled by temporary traffic signals at the Duck Creek, Potato River and Mineral River bridges.

– M-95, Marquette County, will have one lane open at the Michigamme River bridge controlled by a temporary traffic signal.

– M-189 in Iron River, Iron County, will have traffic detoured onto city streets.