US-31 road work keeps Grand Traverse businesses dealing with detours, delays

The cost of rebuilding US-31 is showing up first in missed impulse stops, longer trips for commuters and a steady stream of drivers cutting through neighborhood roads in Grand Traverse County. Along the 7.8-mile corridor from Sullivan Road in Green Lake Township to Reynolds Road in Inland Township, businesses say the detours are already shaving off drive-by traffic, while officials are warning that the disruption could stretch well into November 2026.

The Michigan Department of Transportation said the $32.5 million project is needed because the road section had reached the end of its service life. The work will include rebuilding and widening the roadway, adding center left-turn lanes, widening paved shoulders, installing rumble strips and building a new roundabout at J. Maddy Parkway and South Long Lake Road. MDOT said detour-route improvements began in 2025 ahead of the main rebuild, and the full construction phase had been expected to start as early as April 7 after a previously scheduled April 13 start date.

For merchants along the corridor, the hardest part is the loss of casual traffic. Gordy Pons, who works at Oaky’s Tavern, said the business has seen a drop in customers, though the slowdown has not been as severe as some feared. At TCH Gear, Gary Jurkovich said the shop is getting far less spontaneous traffic from motorists passing along US-31, the kind of quick stop that can make a difference on a busy day.

The road work has also pushed more vehicles onto local streets. Residents and law enforcement have reported drivers bypassing the official detour, speeding on neighborhood roads and ignoring stop signs. In one enforcement push, officials said there had been more than 200 traffic stops, a sign that the detour is not just an inconvenience but a safety concern for people living near the alternate routes.

MDOT has said access to businesses and residences will remain open during construction, even if detours are needed at times. Still, the challenge for Interlochen-area merchants is immediate: keeping customers aware that they are open while competing with a route that is slower, less direct and, for many drivers, easy to avoid. Businesses have responded with signs and social-media reminders, and local merchants have banded together to keep shoppers coming through despite the delays.