Travelers looking to cross the Mackinac Bridge over Memorial Day weekend should brace for delays. The Mackinac Bridge Authority has warned of traffic snafus due to a repaving project that won't be finished as planned. The project was slated to be completed by May 23, but setbacks have pushed the date to June 7, WXYZ reports.
With more than 1.3 million Michigan residents expected to hit the roads for the holiday, the incomplete construction means limited lane availability — one in each direction. During peak hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., backups are a familiar sight, and with the construction teams unable to field full crews for completion, travelers are advised to seek alternative timings. According to CBS News Detroit, "We know that having lane closures on the bridge for Memorial Day travel will result in delays and backups, so we ask customers to be patient and consider crossing at off-peak times," stated Cole Cavalieri, MBA Chief Engineer.
The repaving work, which started in March on the bridge's north viaduct and approach truss spans, has faced delays from additional patching work needed and challenges in mobilizing complete work crews. With crews tackling both deck and joint repairs, traffic has been reduced to one lane in both directions to accommodate the ongoing work.
To manage the movement of wider vehicles, restrictions are in place. Vehicles measuring over 10 feet wide will only be permitted to cross once a day between 7 and 8 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, with the bridge's traffic to be held momentarily during these times. Despite urging from the Mackinac Bridge Authority for the contractor, Zenith Tech, to hasten the pace of work, including night and weekend shifts, the delay is inevitable. "We have not only allowed but strongly encouraged, the contractor to work around the clock and through weekends to get this project wrapped up ahead of the surge of traffic we expect for the holiday weekend," Cavalieri said, as per CBS News Detroit.
While the current phase is set to wrap up by next month, travelers can expect a repeat scenario next year when southbound lane repaving begins in March 2025. For those planning to navigate Northern Michigan by way of the iconic span, considering alternative routes or travel times this Memorial Day could prove a wise move to avoid the bottleneck expected on the bridge.
