FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2026

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Gov. Whitmer Announces Removal of Orange Barrels and Other Traffic Barriers to Ease Memorial Day Travel

• MDOT is suspending work and lifting traffic restrictions wherever possible this holiday weekend to ease congestion and increase safety (100 out of 168 projects).

• AAA estimates more than 1.3 million Michigan residents are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the second-highest forecast on record for the holiday period.

• Although some equipment and traffic configurations will remain over the weekend, suspending construction operations improves safety for workers and motorists.

• Remember to buckle up, stay alert and avoid distractions at all times when driving.

LANSING, Mich. - Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that lane restrictions will be lifted on nearly 60% of road and bridge projects statewide to ease traffic delays for holiday travelers over Memorial Day weekend.

"This Memorial Day weekend, we're temporarily removing orange barrels and lifting lane restrictions to make travel smoother and easier and help Michiganders get where they need to go," said Governor Whitmer. "But once Memorial Day is over, we'll get right back to work fixing the damn roads. By the end of my administration, we will have fixed 26,500 lane miles of roads and almost 2,000 bridges, supporting tens of thousands of good-paying jobs."

AAA estimates more than 1.3 million Michigan residents are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the second-highest forecast since AAA began tracking holiday traffic.

"Thanks to the bipartisan transportation funding legislation signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year, along with the governor's Rebuilding Michigan program and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, many much-needed projects across the state are continuing or are just getting underway," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. "While we've been able to pull back the barrels as much as we can for this kickoff to the busy America 250 summer travel season, some work zones must remain in place. For everyone's safety, including motorists and road workers, we implore all drivers to be patient in work zones and follow all posted signs in those work zones. Safety is in your hands."

Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, May 22, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 100 out of 168 MDOT projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed. While motorists will see suspended operations in most state road work zones for the weekend, drivers are advised that equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.

MDOT oversees I, M, and US routes and is responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of state highways, which carry more than 50 percent of all traffic and approximately 70 percent of commercial traffic in Michigan.