Work at intersection of M-22 and M-72 begins

Vicki Cook of Northport likely summed up the feelings of many motorists about road work that started yesterday at the M-22/M-72 intersection in Traverse City.

“What are you going to do? I’m not looking forward to it, traffic already gets really backed up there on a bad winter day. There is no getting around it,” she said.

Cook travels south on M-22 during weekday mornings, through the intersection and along West Grand Traverse Bay, for almost 20 years enroute to her job at Northwestern Michigan College. She’s had to adjust her travel time for road projects over the years, but the stretch of M-22 from M-72 to Cherry Bend Road in Greilickville is the most vexing for her.

“From where I am coming from in Northport, there is no easy way to get over to Bugai Road. I know people who go that route when there is road work on 22, but really it doesn’t save any time. All going over to Bugai does is give you a sense of moving,” Cook said with a laugh.

Cook and thousands of other motorists along the eastern coast of the county will face construction delays when M-22 is reduced to one lane in both directions about 300 feet north of the M-72 intersection.

Dave Pax, assistant resident engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation, said M-22 from the M-72 intersection north is four lanes wide and then becomes a three-lane road, with the center lane used for left-hand turns.

Crews with Rieth-Riley Construction, Inc., of Traverse City will begin by removing the existing asphalt and cement over the next two weeks. When that process is completed, a new concrete base will be laid and the entire length of M-22 from M-72 to Cherry Bend Road will get a new asphalt surface. The work at the intersection will take about two weeks to complete.

Pax said motorists who use M-72 to reach Traverse City should not be affected as much as those using M-22. “The biggest impact will be to large truck turning movements off of M-22 onto M-72. There just isn’t going to be as much room during this work,” he said.

The good news is resurfacing work should be completed by the end of May, though there may be intermittent lane closures during that time. Pax said Rieth-Riley crews will determine when and where a lane closure will happen, with traffic flow supervised by flagmen.

“We are encouraging them to use lane shifts as much as possible, but the guys on site will be determining how traffic is maintained. There is no way of knowing in advance of a day or so if a lane closure will be necessary,” he said.

The M-22 resurfacing work is part of a $2.5 million improvement project that includes ongoing replacement of the bridge over Cedar Creek. Work on the bridge began in March and has gone well, according to Pax. Once bridge work is complete, new pavement will be applied from Cherry Bend Road over the bridge and about 200 feet north. The bridge work and final paving should be completed by Aug. 4.

Another major road project, replacing the railroad trestle bridge over County Road 633 just south of Bingham Road, should start within the next two or three weeks. Work will not start before the May 8 election, so Bingham Township voters will not experience any detours on Election Day.

County Road Commission manager Herb Cradduck said Tuesday that the general contractor for the $212,000 bridge replacement project is having trouble securing materials. While he is confident the project will proceed, Cradduck said the contract can’t start until he has all the materials he needs.

The 633 bridge project will eliminate the two concrete abutments that support the existing bridge and sit within the road right-of-way. While there have been no vehicle accidents directly attributed to the abutments, commission members want to remove the intrusions to help calm traffic flow and safety concerns.

The commission, working with TART Trails, Inc., secured a federal transportation enhancement grant, with TART pledging $28,000 for the local match. The wooden bridge will be capable of supporting a fire truck or ambulance if necessary.

When work begins, no through traffic will be allowed on 633 between Bingham and Lakeview Hills Roads. Traffic will be rerouted on Bingham Road to County Road 641 to Lakeview Hills Road.

Robert Otwell, executive director of TART Trails, said traffic on Leelanau Trail will be redirected down Bingham Road, so trail users will be crossing on 633 while work is ongoing. He said the project should not take more than two weeks to complete.