The Michigan Department of Transportation announced that to allow for completion of paving through the new roundabout at the M-72/M-22 intersection, M-72 traffic will be detoured for two days next week, currently scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

"Doing this paving work while maintaining traffic through the roundabout would likely take four days to complete, with the likelihood of significant delays for travelers," MDOT spokesman James Lake tells The Ticker." Additionally, doing all of this paving at once with a detour will improve the quality and smoothness of the asphalt joints."

For now, the work is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20 (weather permitting) and end 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21. 

During this work, M-72 will be closed at the M-72/M-22 intersection in Traverse City/Elmwood Township to just west of the intersection near the entrance to Tom’s Food Market. M-72 will be closed to through-traffic from Gray Road/Bugai Road to Bay Street but all businesses located along M-72 will remain open and accessible during the project.

Due to the closure, M-72 traffic is currently expected to be detoured as follows:

· Eastbound M-72 traffic to Traverse City will be detoured on Gray Road, Cedar Run Road, West Front Street and US-31/M-37 (Division Street) to M-72. A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the Cedar Run Road/Harris Road intersection.

· Westbound M-72 traffic from Traverse City will be detoured on US-31/M-37 (Division Street), West Front Street, Cedar Run Road and Gray Road to M-72. A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the Cedar Run Road/Harris Road intersection.

M-72 and M-22 will remain open between US-31/M-37 (Division Street) and Cherry Bend Road, controlled by traffic regulators, but traffic will not be able to proceed west on M-72 at the roundabout.

Photo credit: Team Elmers