Michigan Memorial Day weekend travel guide: Gas prices, lane restrictions, and best times to drive

MDOT removes lane restrictions on 81 projects for Memorial Day weekend

Road construction in Michigan (2022). (WDIV)

MDOT will be removing lane restrictions on 81 road and bridge projects across Michigan to help ease traffic delays for travelers on Memorial Day weekend.

Lane restrictions will be removed on 81 of 146 projects from Friday through the morning of Tuesday, May 30. Equipment and some traffic shifts or shoulder closures will remain in place even though construction is not ongoing.

The AAA expects that over 1.2 million Michigan residents will drive 50 miles or more for Memorial Day weekend.

Best and worst times to travel by car

According to INRIX, Friday, May 26, will be the busiest day on the roads. The busiest times to travel on during the holiday weekend will be in the morning or evening after 6 p.m.

The lightest traffic days are expected to be Saturday and Sunday. INRIX suggests driving during non-peak hours or using alternative routes.

DateWorst Travel TimeBest Travel Time
Thursday (May 25)3 p.m. - 6 p.m.Before 1 p.m.
Friday (May 26)3 p.m. - 6 p.m.Before 12 p.m.
Saturday (May 27)Minimal impactMinimal impact
Sunday (May 28)Minimal impactMinimal impact
Monday (May 29)12 p.m. - 3 p.m.Before 10 a.m.
Tuesday (May 30)4 p.m. - 6 p.m.Before 2 p.m. or after 6 p.m.

View: Live traffic map

Gas prices by Michigan county

According to AAA, Memorial Day road trips are up 6% from last year. Around 37.1 million Americans will drive to where they’re going. Driving is the preferred mode of transportation for 88% of holiday travelers.

Gas prices have dropped in recent weeks, but the AAA said it’s too early to know if the downward trend will continue in the lead-up to Memorial Day weekend. They said it’s unlikely that gas prices will be near the average $4.60 per gallon Memorial Day weekend travelers paid last year.

List of work zones that are active or will have lane restrictions

The list below is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Memorial Day weekend. The list was created by MDOT.

Metro Detroit

Macomb County

  • I-94 has one lane open in each direction between 23 Mile Road and County Line Road with the westbound I-94 exit ramp to 23 Mile Road closed, along with the 23 Mile Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-94 closed.
  • 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-53 (Van Dyke Avenue) has two southbound lanes open at 14 Mile Road.
  • M-59 has the eastbound right-turn lane to Schoenherr Road closed.

Oakland County

  • Cass Avenue is closed over I-94.
  • Grand River Avenue is closed over I-94.
  • Grand Boulevard (MacArthur Bridge) bridge to Belle Isle has the right lane closed.
  • M-1 (Woodward Avenue) will have two lanes open between M-102 (8 Mile Road) to I-696.
  • I-75 has the southbound ramp to eastbound 14 Mile Road closed.
  • I-75 Business Loop (BL) has all southbound lanes closed from Prospect Street to South Boulevard,with one northbound I-75 BL lane closed from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to South Boulevard.
  • 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.

Wayne County

  • I-94 has the westbound ramps to northbound and southbound M-10 closed.
  • I-94 has the eastbound ramp to Grand River Avenue closed.
  • I-96 has the westbound ramps to M-39 (Southfield Freeway) closed.
  • I-96 has lane closures from Schaefer Highway to M-8 (Davison Highway).
  • I-275 has two lanes open from Eureka Road to 5 Mile Road.
  • I-375 has lane closures at Madison Street and M-3 (Gratiot Avenue). There is one lane open on the ramp to Madison Street. The southbound M-3 ramp to I-375 closed, along with the northbound I-75 ramp to southbound I-275 closed.
  • M-10 (Lodge Freeway) has the ramps to eastbound I-94 closed.
  • M-102 (8 Mile Road) will have two lanes open from M-1 (Woodward Avenue) to M-53 (Van Dyke Avenue).
  • US-12 (Michigan Avenue) will have two lanes open from Elm Street to Firestone Street.
  • US-24 (Telegraph Road) will have two lanes open between 6 Mile Road and M-102 (8 Mile Road).

Follow the Metro Detroit region on Twitter for more updates.

Southern Michigan

  • I-69, Clinton County, has one westbound lane closed between Lowell Road and I-96.
  • 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.
  • I-94, Jackson County, has the following restrictions:
    • The westbound on and off ramps at Elm Avenue are closed and detoured.
    • The westbound on and off ramps at Parma Road are closed and detoured.
  • I-496, Ingham County, has the following restrictions:
    • One lane is open in each direction between Grand Avenue and Lansing Road.
    • The Capitol Avenue and Pine Street bridges over I-496 are closed.
    • M-60, Jackson County, has the northbound ramp to westbound I-94 closed and detoured.
    • M-99, Hillsdale County, has one southbound lane closed with a temporary traffic signal near Camden Road.
    • M-99, Ingham County, has one lane closed in each direction between Petrieville Highway and Wilbur Highway.
    • US-23, Washtenaw County, has the following restrictions:
      • Willis Road is closed over US-23.
      • The southbound US-23/Willis Road entrance and exit ramps are closed.
      • The eastbound Willis Road entrance ramp to northbound US-23 is closed.
      • US-23 and US-12 each have one lane open in each direction at the interchange.
  • US-127, Ingham County, has one lane closed in each direction between the Jackson County line and Howell Road.
  • US-127/I-496, Ingham County, has the following restrictions:
    • The eastbound I-496 ramp to northbound US-127 is closed.
    • The southbound US-127 ramp to westbound I-496 is closed.
  • US-127, Jackson County, has one lane closed in each direction just north of McDevitt Road.

Follow the University region on Twitter on their Lansing/Jackson account or their Ann Arbor account.

Central Michigan and Thumb

  • I-69, Lapeer County, will have one lane open in each direction from M-24 to 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 detoured.
  • I-69 Business Loop (BL) in Port Huron, St. Clair County, will have westbound lanes closed from 24th Street to I-94 BL; detoured via I-94 BL, Lapeer Street, and 24th Street.
  • M-15 in Davison, Genesee County, will have shoulder closures and a reduced speed limit from Potter Road to Dodge Road.
  • M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County, will have one lane open in each direction with a center turn lane from Summerton Road to Mission Road.
  • M-25, Sanilac County, will have a lane closure in place at Forester Creek with a temporary traffic signal.
  • M-57 in Montrose, Genesee County, will have a traffic shift in place over the Flint River.
  • M-65 in Twining, Arenac County, will have a single-lane closure over Big Creek with a temporary traffic signal.
  • M-90 in Croswell, Sanilac County, is detoured over the Black River via Todd Road, Galbraith Line Road, and Wildcat Road.
  • US-10, Bay County, will have westbound lanes closed from Bay City to the US-10/I-75 interchange; detour via M-13, M-84 and northbound I-75. The eastbound US-10 ramp to southbound I-75 is closed, along with 3 Mile Road over US-10.
  • US-10 Business Route, Midland County, will have lane closures and traffic shifts. The Eastman Road ramp to eastbound US-10 is closed and detoured via the Wackerly Street entrance ramp.

Follow the Bay Region on Twitter for more information.

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 M-78 is closed.
    • The northbound I-69 ramp to eastbound I-94 closed and detoured.
    • The Ainger Road ramp to southbound I-69 is closed and detoured.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Follow the Southwest Region on Twitter for more information.

West Michigan

  • I-96 in Grand Rapids, Kent County, will have one lane open in each direction between Cascade Road and M-11 (28th Street). Lane closures are in effect on the ramps from M-11 to westbound I-96.
  • I-196, Ottawa County, will have one eastbound lane and two westbound lanes open between Zeeland and Hudsonville.
  • I-196 Business Route (BR) (Byron Road) in Zeeland, Ottawa County, is closed at the I-196 interchange. The westbound I-196 ramp to westbound I-196 BR is open while all other ramps at the interchange are closed.

Follow the Grand Region on Twitter for more information.

Northern Lower Peninsula

  • I-75, Cheboygan County, will have northbound traffic shifted to southbound I-75 with a movable barrier wall.
  • I-75 Business Loop (BL), Roscommon/Crawford county line, will have one lane of alternating traffic with a temporary traffic signal.
  • M-119 in Harbor Springs, Emmet County, will have one lane of alternating traffic with a temporary traffic signal.
  • US-23, Alcona County, is closed from Black River Road to F-41 with a detour on local roads.
  • US-31 in Alanson, Emmet County, will have southbound traffic detoured on Milton Road.

Follow the North Region on Twitter for more information.

Upper Peninsula

  • I-75 in St. Ignace, Mackinac County, has one lane open in each direction using the outside lanes.
  • I-75, Chippewa County, will have one northbound lane open over the Pine River.
  • M-26, Keweenaw County, is closed at the Silver River west of Brockway Mountain Drive. Detour via US-41.
  • M-69 in Crystal Falls, Iron County, is closed at the Paint River bridge. Detour via North 6th Street, Fairbanks Drive and Wagner Street.
  • M-123 north of Newberry, Luce County, has one lane open in alternating directions via temporary signals.
  • US-2 in St. Ignace, Mackinac County, has the south side of the overpass over I-75 closed. One lane is open in each direction using the north half of the bridge.
  • US-41 in Houghton, Houghton County, has one eastbound lane closed at Franklin Square.
  • US-41, Houghton County, has one lane open in alternating directions at Massie Road north of Chassell 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.

Follow the Superior Region on Twitter for more information.


About the Author:

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.