Detour Season: Interlochen US-31 Reconstruction Begins

Interlochen open for business

Interlochen is preparing for the summer, but instead of bracing for the arrival of tourists, many along US-31 are expecting detours and an onslaught of heavy machinery as a major Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project kicks off this month.

Meanwhile, the business community is banding together to make sure visitors know they are open, especially as construction is expected to last for the entire high season. Lengthy out-of-the-way detours have Interlochen business owners worried that it will push away customers.

Necessary Improvements

The $32.5 million US-31 rebuilding project will include 7.8 miles of construction from Sullivan Rd. in Green Lake Township to Reynolds Rd. in Inland Township. The project will be completed in three stages starting in April and is slated for completion in November.

Construction prep work started on March 23 with tree clearing along US-31. Road rebuilding work is expected to begin on April 15, but could start earlier if weather permits, per the Michigan Department of Transportation.

A southbound lane on US-31 will remain open for motorists throughout the duration of the project.

MDOT says when construction is complete the road will be safer with improved pedestrian and bicycle crossings. The busy stretch of road will also be widened to improve safety, including the addition of center left-turn lanes, widened paved shoulders, and rumble strips. There will also be a roundabout added at the South Long Lake Road and J. Maddy Parkway intersection.

On March 24, MDOT hosted an open house at the Golden Fellowship Hall in Interlochen with about a dozen MDOT employees dressed in neon construction vests answering questions from community members. Maps and large photos were also on display to help people understand how the construction will affect them.

Redeemer Interlochen Pastor Jason Bauer left the open house feeling more informed about the project. He says the construction will be frustrating for churchgoers, but that the US-31 upgrades are much needed. Also, the church live streams its services.

“We just want people to be able to make it to church safely,” Bauer says. “I think it’s an important thing to have changed. There have been a number of close calls, some accidents—just because there’s no center turn lane. So, I think it’s a good improvement.”

Bringing in Business

This is not Tom’s Food Markets’ first rodeo…err roundabout.

Last summer, its West Bay store was affected by the construction of a roundabout at the M-72 and M-22 intersection as part of a $25.8 million road construction project spanning over 2.2 miles from Division St. in Traverse City to Cherry Bend Rd. in Elmwood Township.

Tom’s Food Markets President Nancy Sands says the Interlochen site is being proactive with the upcoming construction, as they have a store near the US-31 and J. Maddy Parkway intersection.

The company is taking a lot of extra steps to inform customers with flyers stuffed in grocery bags, signage, advertisements, mailers, and maps at various locations about the construction and detours that are expected.

“We’re doing feathered flags out in front of our market to highlight, especially to a lot of the campers and people at the state park, that we are open,” Sands adds. “We’re at the end of the line, but we are open. These are some of the things we did with the West Bay roundabout. We’re doing as much, if not more here.”

Working Together

Sands says the Interlochen community is tight-knit. Leading up to the start of construction, several business owners, including Tom’s, met once a month to brainstorm ways to combat the upcoming construction woes.

“This has been a great community and collaboration between all of the business owners here,” Sands says. “We’re all concerned about each other, and we’re all just trying to support each other so that everybody can get through this.”

The first business owners meeting was held at the library and two other meetings were at Hofbrau on J. Maddy Parkway, just north of Interlochen Center for the Arts.

“US-31 has like, 25,000 cars a day go up and down. They shut it off, and it’s 25,000 cars a day that go around us,” says Hofbrau Steak House & American Grille owner Brian McAllister. “It’s a substantial amount of people, and it makes our village inconvenient to go to—it’s just easier not to. You don’t have to necessarily stop in Interlochen to go out to eat or buy your groceries. So we got together, and we just started spitballing some ideas.”

McAllister has owned Hofbrau for 29 years and is also the Green Lake Township DDA president and County Commissioner for District 1. He says this year’s construction is going to be a “gut punch.” He also notes that during the past four years, Interlochen has been plagued with various construction projects in the area that have often detoured visitors around the village.

The DDA has spearheaded the website visitinterlochen.com to help visitors navigate the area during the construction.

“It will be updated on everything that happens with MDOT, and it’ll be consistent and reliable information, so they can navigate to us, or around us, or however it is,” McAllister says.

Signage will also play a big part in bringing awareness to the community, per Sands.

On behalf of Interlochen’s businesses, the DDA purchased two billboard advertisements along US-31 alerting motorists about the construction project and detours.

Additionally, Tom’s will have a few signs of their own posted. The store got permits to place signs along various roadways to alert motorists that Interlochen is open for business.

“We are trying to promote not only Tom’s, but all local businesses,” Sands says. “On the top of the sign it is in very big in orange letters: ‘All Local Businesses Are Open and Accessible.’ We will be open during our regular hours 7am to 10pm seven days a week, and we will be there to help.”

Optimism and Opportunities

Despite the challenges the construction will pose, business owners are still optimistic about the arrival of summer.

Tom’s Interlochen will be adding sushi chefs, which the president expects to be a “big hit” among campers at the state park and academy. Hofbrau is looking forward to the return of the Interlochen concertgoers and opening up its 6,000 square foot beach-themed patio with outdoor games.

“I think it’ll go better than last summer, which was pretty tough,” McAllister says. “It is not going to be a barn burner by any means, but I think it will be better. Everybody’s in the same boat and kind of knows where it’s going now.”

Interlochen Center for the Arts is also taking proactive steps to thwart any confusion related to the construction.

“We will be sharing timely updates with all of our key audiences, including families, local residents, and concertgoers so everyone knows exactly what to expect,” says Interlochen Center for the Arts Director of Communications Maureen Oleson. “For concerts, ticket holders will receive event-specific messages with clear instructions and recommended routes.”

Oleson adds that Interlochen is grateful for the work and planning done by MDOT so far and is looking forward to the long-term safety and traffic improvements the US-31 project will bring.

“Most importantly, we want to support the crews doing this work,” concludes Oleson. “We’re asking everyone traveling through the area to plan ahead, follow posted detours, and stay safe.”

Three Stages

Stage 1 / April-June 2026: Rebuilding the north side of US-31 between Sullivan Road and west of J. Maddy Parkway/S. Long Lake Road, including building the roundabout. Southbound US-31 traffic will be maintained on US-31, while northbound US-31 traffic will be detoured on Gonder Rd., Riley Rd., J. Maddy Parkway, Youker Rd., and County Road 633.

J. Maddy Parkway access to US-31 will be open for most of this phase of construction, though it will be closed for up to two weeks at the start of work while crews build temporary lanes around the roundabout. South Long Lake Road access to US-31 will be closed, with traffic detouring on West Silver Lake Road and Secor Road.

Stage 2 / June and July: Rebuilding the south side of US-31 between Sullivan Road and west of J. Maddy Parkway/S. Long Lake Road, including building the roundabout. Southbound US-31 traffic will be maintained on US-31, while northbound US-31 traffic will be detoured on Gonder Road, Riley Road, J. Maddy Parkway, Youker Road, and County Road 633.

J. Maddy Parkway access to US-31 will be closed for most of this phase of construction. South Long Lake Road access to US-31 will be open to southbound US-31 traffic only, with other traffic detouring on West Silver Lake Road and Secor Road.

Stage 3 / July-November: Rebuilding US-31 from west of the South Long Lake Road/J. Maddy Parkway roundabout to Reynolds Road. Southbound US-31 traffic will be maintained on US-31, while northbound US-31 traffic will be detoured on Reynolds Road, Cinder Road, Diamond Park Road, Gonder Road, Riley Road, and J. Maddy Parkway.

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