Get ready for slowdowns between TC and Acme, starting Tuesday

Interlochen Public Radio | By Ed Ronco

Published September 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM EDT

A message board at the side of U.S. 31/M-72 warns drivers of an upcoming construction project that will have traffic down to one lane, starting Sept. 6. (Photo: Ed Ronco/IPR)

Summer might be winding down, but orange barrel season is just getting started on U.S. 31.

A road construction project between Traverse City and Acme could mean months of traffic delays.

Starting Tuesday, crews will add a center median and repave the 1.5-mile section of U.S. 31 and M-72, between Holiday and Five Mile Roads.

A map from M-DOT's website shows where the construction will take place. The green line marking the construction zone stretches from Holiday Road to just north of where Five Mile Road intersects with U.S. 31. — The green line shows where the construction will take place. Traffic will be down to one lane in each direction starting Sept. 6, 2022 until Nov. 11. Click to see a full map at MDOT's website.

“We’ve had more than 100 crashes on this stretch in the last 10 years," said James Lake, spokesman for MDOT's north region. "Seventeen of those crashes resulted in injuries, and six of them resulted in deaths. We’re hopeful this will help cut down on those crashes.”

The road carries an average of 27,000 vehicles a day, with the heaviest traffic in the region's busy summer tourism season.

And that explains the timing of this project. Crews get to work the day after Labor Day.

“Traffic will be a little less busy. Not slow, by any means, but a little less busy," Lake said. "So we’re looking to reduce the impact to drivers.”

Traffic will be down to one lane in each direction, and work could last until Nov. 11.