Michigan Labor Day weekend travel guide: Active construction zones, gas prices

The Michigan Department of Transportation is lifting traffic restrictions in some areas to help travelers over Labor Day weekend.

MDOT is removing lane restrictions on 56% of its road and bridge projects across the state. Some equipment and traffic configurations will remain over the weekend.

The lane restrictions will be removed beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, and continue until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. Lane restrictions will be removed in 93 out of 166 projects statewide.

The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to public traffic on Labor Day from 6:30 a.m. until noon during the annual Bridge Walk.

---> Michigan’s new hands-free driving law takes effect: What drivers should know

List of active construction zones in Metro Detroit

The following is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Labor Day weekend.

Macomb County

• I-94 has the westbound ramp from westbound 23 Mile Road closed.
• I-696 westbound service drive has one lane open at Bunert Road.
• M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has two southbound lanes open between 9 Mile and 8 Mile roads.
• M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has two lanes open in each direction between 14 Mile and Wellington Crest roads.
• M-19 has the ramp to westbound I-94 closed.

Oakland County

• I-75 has two lanes open in each direction between M-15 and the Oakland/Genesee county line.
• I-96 has two lanes open between Kent Lake Road and I-275, with ramp closures.
• I-696 has two lanes open between I-275 and Lahser Road, with ramp closures.
• M-1 (Woodward Avenue) will have two lanes open between M-102 (8 Mile Road) and I-696.
• M-1 (Woodward Avenue) has the northbound right lane closed from Sylvan Avenue to Main Street.

Wayne County

• Buchanan Street is closed over I-96.
• Cass Avenue is closed over I-94, including ramp closures.
• Grand Boulevard (MacArthur Bridge) bridge to Belle Isle has the right lane closed.
• Grand River Avenue is closed over I-94, including ramp closures.
• Larned Street is closed over I-375.
• Schaefer Highway is closed over I-96.
• I-94 has two westbound lanes open from Belleville Road to Rawsonville Road.
• I-275 has two lanes open from Eureka Road to 6 Mile Road.
• M-5 (Grand River Avenue) has three eastbound lanes open between M-102 (8 Mile Road) and Berg Road.
• M-85 (Fort Street) will have up to two lanes open at Outer Drive.
• M-102 (8 Mile Road) has two lanes open between M-1 (Woodward Avenue) and M-53 (Van Dyke Avenue).
• US-12 (Michigan Avenue) has two lanes open between Oakwood Boulevard and Greenfield Road.
• US-24 (Telegraph Road) has two lanes open in each direction between 6 Mile and 9 Mile roads.

Best and worst times to travel by car

A transportation analyst at INRIX said the best times to travel by car over Labor Day weekend are early in the morning or in the evening.

Analysts expect Thursday, Aug. 31, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to be the busiest time on the roads during Labor Day weekend. Friday, Sept. 1, is also expected to have higher than normal traffic between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

“The best times to travel by car over Labor Day weekend are early in the morning or in the evening,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “If you must travel during heavy traffic, navigation apps and local departments of transportation can help steer drivers around long delays.”

INRIX expects the peak congestion period in Michigan will happen Saturday at 10:15 a.m. along I-96 between Detroit to Grand Rapids. It is expected to be a 35% increase compared to typical traffic.

View: Live traffic map

Gas prices by Michigan county

List of active construction zones in other Michigan counties

The following is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Labor Day weekend.

Upper Peninsula

• I-75, Chippewa County, will have one northbound lane open over the Pine River.
• M-35 in Gwinn, Marquette County, has northbound traffic detoured via M-553 to Southgate Drive and back to M-35.
• M-64, Ontonagon County, is closed over the Mineral River near White Pine. A detour is posted.
• M-69 in Crystal Falls, Iron County, has one alternating lane open at the Paint River bridge via temporary signals.
• M-123 north of Newberry, Luce County, has one lane open in alternating directions via temporary signals.
• M-129, Chippewa County, is closed to southbound traffic between 18th Avenue and Three Mile Road. Detour via I-75 Business Spur to Three Mile Road and back to M-129.
• US-2 near Powers, Menominee County, will have one lane closed over the Big Cedar River via temporary signals.
• US-45, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the East Branch of the Ontonagon River via temporary signals south of Rockland.
• US-141, Iron County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Net River via temporary signals.

Northern Lower Peninsula

• I-75, Cheboygan County, will have northbound traffic shifted to the southbound side with a movable barrier wall.
• M-55/I-75 Business Loop in West Branch, Ogemaw County, will have a lane closure and traffic shift.
• M-65, Iosco County, will have temporary traffic signals at Johnson Creek and the Au Gres River.
• US-31 in Alanson, Emmet County, will have southbound traffic detoured on Milton Road.
• US-31 in Manistee, Manistee County, has the bascule bridge closed with traffic detoured on city streets.
• US-131, Wexford County, has lane closures on the bridges over 50 Road, along with a traffic shift.

West Michigan

• 109th Avenue, Allegan County, is closed at I-196.
• M-40 (Lincoln Avenue), Allegan County, has a lane shift between 136th and 138th avenues.
• I-96 in Grand Rapids has a traffic shift between M-11 (28th Street) and Forest Hill Avenue. Burton Street remains closed over I-96.
• I-196, Ottawa County, has one eastbound lane and two westbound lanes open between Zeeland and Hudsonville. The I-196 Business Route (Byron Road) ramps to eastbound I-196 are closed.
• M-37, Lake County, has one lane open with temporary traffic signals at the Pere Marquette River.
• M-66, Mecosta County, is closed and detoured between County Line Road and 2 Mile Road.
• Old US-131 (Northland Drive), Mecosta County, has one lane open with temporary traffic signals between 21 Mile Road and Hoover Road.
• US-31 Business Route (Seaway Drive) in Muskegon, Muskegon County, has one lane open in each direction between Hoyt Street and Shettler Road.
• US-31 Business Route (Shoreline Drive), Muskegon County, has one lane open in both directions between 7th and Terrace streets.

Southwest Michigan

• I-69, Eaton and Calhoun counties, will have the following restrictions:
  • One lane open in each direction between I-94 and Stine Road.
  • The southbound I-69 ramp to Ainger Road is closed and detoured.
  • The northbound I-69 ramp to westbound I-94 is closed and detoured.
  • The M-78 ramp to southbound I-69 is closed and detoured.
  • The Turkeyville Rest Area on southbound I-69 is closed.
• I-94, Berrien County, has two lanes open in each direction between Empire Avenue and I-94 Business Loop (Red Arrow Highway) Exit 23.
• I-94, Calhoun County, has two lanes open in each direction between Helmer Road and M-96 (Michigan Avenue).
• I-94, Kalamazoo County, has the westbound ramp to Portage Road closed. Portage Road has one lane open in each direction.
• M-96, Calhoun County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift from Eden Street to 15 Mile Road in Marshall.
• US-12, Branch County, has single-lane closures in place with traffic shifts from Willow Lane to West Old Chicago Street in Coldwater, and one lane open over the Coldwater River with a temporary signal.
• US-31, Berrien County, has one lane open in each direction between US-12 and M-139.
• US-131, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties, has one lane open in each direction between Schoolcraft and Three Rivers.

Central Michigan and Thumb

• I-69, Lapeer County, will have one lane open in each direction between M-24 and Lake George Road with a traffic shift. The eastbound I-69 ramps at M-24, Wilder Road, and Lake Pleasant Road are closed.
• I-69, St. Clair County, has lane closures and traffic shifts in place from M-19 to Taylor Road. The westbound ramps at Wales Center Road and Taylor Road are closed and detoured.
• M-13, Arenac County, will have one lane open in each direction from Bay-Arenac Road to Bernthal Road.
• M-15 in Atlas Township, Genesee County will have one lane open in each direction with temporary signals between Horton Road and Cathy Drive, and between Hill Road and Maple Avenue.
• M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County, has one lane open in each direction with a center left-turn lane from Summerton Road to Mission Road.
• M-52, Shiawassee County, is closed at Estey Drain and detoured via Johnston Road, State Road, and Juddville Road.
• US-10, Bay County, will have one lane open in each direction with all traffic shifted to the eastbound lanes. The southbound I-75/westbound US-10 ramps are closed. 3 Mile Road is closed over US-10.

Southern Michigan

• The following local streets are closed in Jackson, Jackson County, for railroad work:
  • Mechanic and Jackson streets are closed at the railroad tracks.
  • Detroit Street is closed at Mechanic Street.
  • Van Buren Street is closed at Jackson Street.
• I-69, Clinton County, has one lane closed in each direction at Peacock Road.
• I-75, Monroe County, has the following restrictions:
  • One lane closed in each direction with a traffic shift between Erie and Otter Creek roads.
  • The northbound exit ramp to Otter Creek Road is closed.
  • The Luna Pier Road ramp to northbound I-75 is closed.
• I-94, Jackson County, has the westbound on and off ramps at Parma Road closed and detoured.
• I-96, Eaton and Ingham counties, has traffic shifted between Lansing Road and Washington Road. Billwood Highway and Washington Avenue are closed over I-96.
• I-496, Ingham County, has the following restrictions:
  • One lane is open in each direction between Cedar Street and Waverly Road.
  • The Capitol Avenue bridge over I-496 is closed.
  • Southbound Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has the right two lanes closed over I-496.
  • The westbound I-496 exit to Grand Avenue is closed.
  • The Martin Luther Kind Jr. Boulevard ramp to westbound I-496 is closed.
  • The Walnut Street ramp to eastbound I-496 is closed.
  • The eastbound I-496 exit to Cedar Street/Larch Street is closed.
• M-43/M-100 intersection, Eaton County, has the following restrictions:
  • Westbound M-43 will have one open through-lane with the right-turn lane closed.
  • Northbound M-100 will have one open through-lane with the right-turn lane closed.
  • Southbound M-100 will have the right-turn lane closed.
• M-49, Hillsdale County, has the northbound lanes closed at Arkansas Road for a box culvert replacement project at Little Hog Creek; detour posted.
• M-99, Hillsdale County, has one southbound lane closed with a temporary traffic signal near Camden Road.
• US-23, Washtenaw County, has the following restrictions:
  • Two lanes open in each direction between Stony Creek and I-94 with an 11-foot lane width restriction.
  • One lane open in each direction between US-23 and Carpenter Road with an 11-foot width restriction.
  • Stony Creek and Bemis roads are closed over US-23.
• US-127, Ingham County, has one lane closed in each direction between the Jackson County line and M-36.