MARQUETTE — With near-record holiday travel expected for this Memorial Day weekend, the Michigan Department of Transportation is removing lane restrictions on nearly 60 percent of its road and bridge projects statewide to ease traffic delays for holiday travelers.

AAA estimates more than 1.3 million Michigan residents are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the second-highest forecast since AAA began tracking holiday traffic.

“Thanks to the bipartisan transportation funding legislation signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year, along with the governor’s Rebuilding Michigan program and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, many much-needed projects across the state are continuing or are just getting underway,” said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. “While we’ve been able to pull back the barrels as much as we can for this kickoff to the busy America 250 summer travel season, some work zones must remain in place. For everyone’s safety, including motorists and road workers, we implore all drivers to be patient in work zones and follow all posted signs in those work zones. Safety is in your hands.”

Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, 100 out of 168 MDOT projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed. While motorists will see suspended operations in most state road work zones for the weekend, drivers are advised that equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.

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. 

The following is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Memorial Day weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location. All closures are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information on MDOT projects, go to the Mi Drive website at www.Michigan.gov/Drive.

• Upper Peninsula

– I-75 in St. Ignace, Mackinac County, will have one lane closed in each direction. Southbound traffic will be shifted from I-75 Business Loop to Portage Street.

– US-2, Iron County, will have the northbound lane closed between the Brule River (Wisconsin state line) and Paint Pond Road.