Make your Labor Day drive less bumpy with our attorneys’ list of construction projects and safe driving tips
As another summer comes to a close, many Michiganders are preparing to fit one last road trip in for Labor Day before the kids head back to school. I don’t mean to take the fun out of it, but as an attorney, I always think about safe driving first – especially since Labor Day is Michigan’s most deadly holiday for car accidents throughout the past four decades.
I know this because of the cases that come across my desk and the calls our lawyers receive throughout the holiday weekend, many of which are sadly caused by drunk driving. But a recent story on Mlive reaffirmed my experience as an injury lawyer, stating there’s a whopping average of 20 traffic fatalities during the three-day holiday weekend in Michigan, according to Michigan State Police data from 1972 to 2014.
As such, I want to give our readers and friends some helpful safe driving tips for Labor Day. Please click on my blog post here for more: “We can all save lives this Labor Day with these simple driving safety tips.”
Also, since many Labor Day car accidents occur in construction zones with all of the road trips up north, I’d like to share this list of construction projects throughout the state. The following 41 work zones will have active traffic restrictions in place during the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to a press release from the Michigan Department of Transportation:
Metro Detroit
Wayne County
University Drive is closed over I-75.
I-75 has two lanes open at 13 Mile Road for bridge work under the freeway.
I-94 will have the ramps to and from Merriman Road closed for repair.
M-1 Rail work continues in downtown Detroit, with the following in effect:
I-94 has a traffic shift in place,
I-75 has three lanes open, and
M-1 (Woodward Avenue) has three lanes open.
M-10 (Lodge Freeway) has lane closures on the service drive from Meyers Road to McNichols Road for retaining wall work.
M-39 (Southfield Freeway) will have service drive closures at Joy Road.
M-85 (Fort Street) remains closed over the Rouge River for bridge work.
Macomb County
M-53 has two lanes open between 15 Mile Road and 18 Mile Road.
St. Clair County
Michigan Road remains closed over I-94 for bridge work.
I-69 has one lane open in each direction between M-19 and Taylor Road.
I-94/I-69 interchange has multiple lane closures for bridge work.
For more information, contact Diane Cross, Metro Region Communications Representative, at 248-752-0336.
West Michigan
No restrictions.
For more information, contact John Richard, Grand Region Communications Representative, at 616-262-1565.
Southern Michigan
I-75, Monroe County, has two lanes open in each direction between I-275 and Dixie Highway.
M-43, Eaton County, is closed and detoured at Oneida Road, west of Grand Ledge.
M-100 in Potterville, Eaton County, has one lane open under a temporary signal just north of downtown.
US-23/I-96, Livingston County, has a traffic shift in place at the interchange. All lanes open on I-96 and US-23.
For more information, contact Kari Arend, University Region Communications Representative, at 517-206-1609.
Southwest Michigan
L Drive North in Marshall Township, Calhoun County, has one lane open on the bridge over I‐69 under temporary signals.
Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, has one lane open in each direction over I‐94.
I‐94 Business Loop (Columbia Avenue) in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, is closed at I-94 Exit 92 and detoured.
I‐94 Business Loop (Stadium Drive) in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, has one lane open in each direction at US‐131.
M‐60 in Mendon, St. Joseph County, has a posted detour for westbound traffic.
M‐139 in Niles, Cass County, is closed over the St. Joseph River with a posted detour.
For more information, contact Nick Schirripa, Southwest Region Communications Representative, at 269-208-7829.
Upper Peninsula
I‐75 Business Spur in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, has a detour in effect from Easterday Avenue to Sheridan Drive for truck traffic but will have one lane open in each direction for passenger vehicles.
M‐35, Marquette County, has one lane open over Warner Creek under a temporary traffic signal.
M‐38, Houghton County, has one lane open at the Silver River bridge under a temporary traffic signal.
US‐2, Delta County, has two lanes open over the Ogontz River with a temporary bridge and roadway.
US‐2 in Ironwood, Gogebic County, has a posted detour in effect for westbound traffic.
US‐45, Ontonagon County, has one lane open over the Baltimore River under a temporary traffic signal.
For more information, contact Dan Weingarten, Superior Region Communications Representative, at 906-250-4809.
Northern Lower Peninsula
M‐72 in Acme Township, Grand Traverse County, will have traffic shifts in place with one lane open in each direction. No oversized loads.
US‐31 in Petoskey, Emmet County, will have traffic shifts between Eppler and Camp Daggett roads.
US-31, Emmet County, is closed to through-traffic north of Alanson. Detour on local roads; alternate route on M-68 and I-75.
For more information, contact James Lake, North Region Communications Representative, at 906-250-0993.
Central Michigan and Thumb Area
I-69, Genesee County, has lane closures from Dort Highway to Center Road. Lane closures also in effect on M-54, Averill Avenue and Center Road.
I-75, Bay County, will have shoulder closures at the US-10 interchange. The northbound I-75 ramp to westbound US-10 is closed.
I-75, Saginaw County, will have lane shifts from Dixie Highway to Hess Road.
M-15 in Davison, Genesee County, has one lane open in each direction from Davison Road to Potter Road.
M-15 in Vassar, Tuscola County, has one lane open on the bridge over the Cass River under temporary signals.
M-24 in Lapeer, Lapeer County, has one lane open in each direction from Demille Boulevard to Nepessing Street. Traffic detoured at Farmers Creek.
M-46, Saginaw County, will have single-lane closures from Gaslight Lane to Thomas Road.
M-90, Sanilac County, has one lane open in each direction over Potts Drain east of the village of Peck under a temporary signal.
US-127 Business Route (Alger Road), Gratiot County, is closed to all through-traffic. Detour: Cheesman Road, Begole Road, M-46, and Jefferson Road. US-127 will have all lanes open.
US-10, Bay County, has one lane closed in each direction at the I-75 interchange. The westbound US-10 ramp to southbound I-75 is closed.
US-10 Business Route (Eastman Avenue), in Midland, Midland County, has one lane open in each direction between Indian and Saginaw roads.
For more information, contact Jocelyn Hall, Bay Region Communications Representative, at 989-245-7117.
Please use extra caution in these areas. You can also check out some of my tips to avoid construction accidents.
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