Michigan 2026 Road Construction Season Brings Millions in Investment and Traffic Disruptions Across West Michigan

Governor Whitmer Kicks Off Construction Season With Promise to Fix Roads and Warning of Delays

Plymouth, Michigan — Governor Gretchen Whitmer officially marked the start of Michigan's 2026 road construction season on Wednesday, announcing nearly $2 billion in new funding for state and local roads while warning drivers to expect traffic delays and detours across the state.

The event took place in Plymouth Township during the governor's Get-Shit-Done Tour, which focuses on sharing Michigan's infrastructure progress over the past seven years. Whitmer toured the M-14 project, a $143 million investment to rebuild and repair M-14/I-96 from Newburgh Road to Sheldon Road, including critical bridge work at the I-275 interchange.

"Before I took office, Michiganders were dealing with bad roads and high costs," Whitmer said. "I ran in 2018 to fix the damn roads because that's what I heard from people in all 83 counties across Michigan."

The three-year project on M-14 is expected to be completed in November and includes major reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges in the area. According to MDOT, the project is supported by nearly $84 million made possible by Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program.

Nearly $2 Billion Investment Supported by Long-Term Funding Package

Whitmer said the start of construction season represents a historic investment in Michigan's infrastructure. Through seven balanced, bipartisan budgets, the administration has invested more than $31 billion into fixing Michigan's roads and bridges.

By the end of the 2026 construction season, the administration projects it will have repaired more than 26,500 lane miles of road and nearly 2,000 bridges since Whitmer took office in 2019.

"The start of construction season isn't just good news for our roads, it's good news for Michigan families, Michigan workers, and Michigan communities," said Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. "This boost in investment was decades in the making, and it happened because leaders finally put Michigan ahead of politics."

The long-term road funding package was announced in October 2025, allocating nearly $2 billion a year into Michigan's state and local roads. The administration says the road funding package protects funding for schools and other essential services while increasing investment in roads, transportation and infrastructure.

West Michigan Communities Face Multiple Road Projects

Across West Michigan, road work is planned in Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Lake and Manistee counties through a combination of state and local projects.

In Mason County, the Michigan Department of Transportation plans resurfacing work on U.S. 10 between Brye Road and U.S. 31. MDOT has also scheduled bridge work on U.S. 31 over the Pentwater River in Oceana County. These projects are part of Michigan's trunkline system, which includes interstates and U.S. and M routes, and are managed by MDOT.

The Mason County Road Commission has scheduled multiple road projects as part of its annual program. In Muskegon, city officials have announced reconstruction and infrastructure work on several streets, including Catherine Avenue and Lakeshore Drive. While these local projects are funded and managed separately from state highway work, they are often carried out during the same construction season and may overlap geographically.

Since 2019, the governor and Legislature have approved seven balanced, bipartisan budgets investing more than $31 billion in roads and bridges statewide. The administration also cited the Rebuilding Michigan Plan, introduced in 2020, which funds major highway reconstruction projects.

Cannabis Tax Lawsuit Raises Questions About Road Funding Sustainability

However, a large portion of road funding relies on revenue from a new wholesale tax on cannabis products, which is currently being challenged in two separate lawsuits filed by the state's recreational marijuana industry.

The industry argues the tax violates a 2018 voter initiative because the Legislature did not adopt it with supermajorities and that it exceeds the sales tax rate set in the Michigan Constitution.

"There's nothing sustainable about the road funding plan," said Rose Tantraphol, spokesperson for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. "It was established through an unconstitutional process and sets up a tax structure that is illegal. The road funding compromise singled out the cannabis industry and has already triggered business closures and job losses. Undercutting one industry isn't going to raise the revenue that the state hopes to raise."

Drivers Should Expect Traffic Delays and Detours

State officials said motorists should expect traffic delays, lane closures and detours throughout the construction season. The M-14 project alone involves significant infrastructure work on one of the state's most heavily traveled freeways, including rebuilding the I-275 non-motorized pathway and several major ramps at the interchange.

"When you hit the road this spring and summer, we ask that you slow down and pay attention. There's Michiganders at work here," Whitmer said.

The construction season typically runs through fall and will see workers fixing roads all over the state. MDOT maintains a complete list of all current construction projects online for drivers to check before traveling.