There is no place more beautiful than our slice of Northern Michigan in the spring and summer months, but with warmer temps and time on the beach comes something else: road construction. If you’ve been out and about in Grand Traverse County recently it’s virtually impossible to avoid road construction, or the various roundabouts that keep popping up along the way.
With Grand Traverse County Road Commission (GTCRC) and Michigan Department of transportation (MDOT) workers out in full force, we wanted to know where to expect traffic delays and roundabouts. Therefore, we consulted Wayne Schoonover, County Highway Engineer at GTCRC, to make certain we gather useful information to keep our community safer and well informed when traveling our roads.
The Road Less Traveled
While travel delays can be frustrating, we understand that road workers are creating safer roadways for us all and deserve our patience and gratitude. It also never hurts to know where this work is taking place in advance so we can sidestep those areas and keep our lives running on schedule!
Most projects appear brief however, there are a few that are expected to impact travel more significantly:
– Construction has started on M-37 on the Old Mission Peninsula. Single lane closures are anticipated in both directions anticipated. This project is currently expected to last until July 20th, 2022.
– Construction is underway on Townline Road (West of Kingsley), creating closures for both directions. This roadwork is expected to wrap up June 20th, 2022.
– 2 new roundabouts are slated to begin construction this week at Keystone/Cass and Keystone/Beitner roads, creating detours. Soccer traffic will be allowed to access to the Keystone Soccer Complex from the North and South. For updated GTCRC information on these 2 specific roundabout projects, click here.
Simply click here or on the map itself to access the GTCRC’s handy interactive map showing all information in detail.
In a Roundabout Way
A roundabout, or traffic circle, is defined as: a junction at which traffic moves in one direction around a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it. They are designed to improve traffic flow and decrease delays in congested areas and studies have shown that they’re more cost-efficient, better for the environment, and cause fewer severe crashes.
It is because of these key benefits that 7 roundabouts in Grand Traverse County have been installed in recent years under multiple jurisdictions, with 2 more coming soon. Most residents are aware of the first 3 original roundabouts, located near the Eastside Meijer supermarket, but the majority of residents we spoke with could not name the locations of the others.
Check out our customized map of Grand Traverse County below for visual information about where you will encounter roundabouts- both present and future:
- Blair Townhall & M-37 S. (MDOT)
- Vance & M-37 S. (MDOT)
- Four Mile & Hammond Rd. (GTCRC)
- Parsons & Airport Access Rd. (CITY of Traverse City)
- M-72 E. & Lautner Rd. (MDOT)
- Lautner Rd. & Town Center Dr. (GTCRC)
- M-72 E. & Town Center Dr. (Acme Meijer access road). (MDOT)
- In progress– Cass & Keystone Rd. (GTCRC)
- In progress– Keystone/Beitner, at River Rd. (GTCRC)
For roundabout safety rules and speed limits, click here.
Bottom Line
As the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, stated, “change is the only constant in life.” We hope this information allows you to roll with the changes and traverse our beautiful area safely this summer.
At Brick & Corbett we are passionate about you, our Northern Michigan friends and neighbors; as well as the houses you call home. If you have real estate questions, or just want to chat about your homeownership goals, contact us today!
Author’s Note: Please use caution and allow for extra travel time when travelling through any routes where construction is present. All timelines are subject to change, please refer to the GTCRC site periodically for updates.