LANSING — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is once again removing lane restrictions on state road and bridge projects as much as possible for the Labor Day holiday weekend to ease traffic delays for travelers. While AAA forecast summer travel (June 1 – Sept. 30) to be down 15 percent this year, vehicles were expected to make up 97 percent of the favored mode of transportation. AAA has also predicted car trips will have the smallest drop in year-to-year traffic volumes for the summer, at only 3 percent.

Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, 144 out of 200 projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed. While motorists will see suspended operations in most MDOT construction zones for the weekend, drivers are advised that equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.

“While this has been a summer travel season unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many travelers on Michigan roadways. We expect many more folks to also take advantage of one last weekend of summer travel,” said State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba. “Road and bridge construction workers continue to follow proper safety procedures to ensure their health and safety, and we expect drivers to do their part for the health and safety of everyone in work zones, including themselves. Slow down, stay alert and avoid distractions in all construction zones. While most work zones are being suspended for the holiday weekend, there are still areas where the barrels cannot be pulled back due to the nature of the work in progress. Let’s make sure everyone goes home each and every night.”

Visitors traveling up north are reminded that the Mackinac Bridge Authority voted in May to suspend this year’s Annual Bridge Walk due to the pandemic. The event is expected to resume in 2021.

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.

For up-to-date information on MDOT projects, go to the Mi Drive website at www.Michigan.gov/Drive.

The following is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during the Labor Day holiday weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.

Upper Peninsula

– M-28 in Munising, Alger County, will have a directional detour in place. Westbound M-28 traffic will stay on M-28 through the roundabout under construction. Eastbound M-28 will follow the posted detour from M-28 to Chestnut Street, then Superior Street back to M-28. There will be one lane of alternating traffic over Jones Creek via temporary traffic signals.

– M-28, Ontonagon County, will have one lane open in alternating directions over the Baltimore River west of Bruce Crossing via temporary traffic signals.

– M-35, Marquette County, is closed from north of Marquette County Road 480 to south of Marquette County Road 492. A detour is posted.

– M-35, Menominee County, will have one lane open in alternating directions over Deer Creek via temporary traffic signals.

– US-2 in Marenisco, Gogebic County, will have one lane open in alternating directions over the Big Presque Isle River via temporary traffic signals.

– US-2/US-41, Delta County, has one lane open in each direction between Gladstone and Rapid River.

– US-41 in Hancock, Houghton County, has one lane open in each direction between Quincy Street and Lake Annie Road.

For more information, contact MDOT Superior Region Communications Representative Dan Weingarten at 906-250-4809. Follow the Superior Region on Twitter at the website www.twitter.com/MDOT_UP.