Article Written by News Editor Zoebelle Bean
During the week of April 1st, the US Highway 131 Northbound exit off of Wealthy Street was closed for construction. Though it is now once more open for use, part of the subsequent S-Curve Highway is now flush with traffic cones. Though this construction can be inconvenient to some, it is important to recognize that Michigan is now in “Construction Season,” and drivers need to be patient and expect to be driving slower than usual in some areas.
Construction efforts are so popular in Michigan that they’ve made a name for themselves: “Construction Season.” This is partially due to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s efforts to fix the roads. Michigan driving is hard enough with the roundabouts and Michigan lefts. We don’t need bad roads on top of it all, so these construction efforts are worth the time.
Construction Season in Michigan usually begins when the weather outside gets consistently warm enough for workers to stay out for a long period of time. In Michigan, it can be hard to do this because the weather is tricky. Occasionally, it changes its mind and sunny, warm weather can change to frosty winter in a split second. This is why the Construction Season is so long in Michigan. The workers need to take advantage of every warm moment to make the roads better before the snow starts to fall again.
While this construction is not ideal for driving or using the roads, drivers must remember to be patient. While this construction can take a very long amount of time, it is important to make sure less accidents happen and less repairs are necessary for cars. If roads are hard to drive on, are unsafe, or cause cars to wear down too much, it means it’s time to repave. Fixing the roads we drive on will make everyone happy in the long run, especially in backwoods Michigan where backroads can sometimes be used just as frequently as highways.
If you want to know when a road is being worked on before you hit the road, visit MDOT’s Construction Website: https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/MiDrive/construction.
The next time you drive on the road, make sure to take time to appreciate the orange-coned beauty around you and thank the people that make it possible for you to drive safely.
The Saint 