Traverse City State Park will move campground entrance on U.S. 31 at the end of the month

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- The campground entrance and traffic signal at Keith J Charters Traverse City State Park has a new construction timeline. Originally scheduled for early March, crews will now begin work at the relocated U.S. 31 campground entrance beginning Monday, March 30. Drivers will see digital displays along U.S. 31 forewarning the intermittent single-lane closures during the two-week construction. Additionally, pedestrians should expect temporary sidewalk restrictions. Once installed, the traffic signal will operate in flashing mode for up to one month before becoming fully active in late April, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The pedestrian crosswalk will remain closed until the signal is fully operational. The new traffic signal replaces the decades-old pedestrian bridge and is part of an $8.5 million enhancement project the park is undergoing. In July, DNR Director Scott Bowen committed to finding a new location for a pedestrian bridge that connects the state park campground with the beach. The campground remains closed until April 2027 while construction continues on contact stations and park headquarters among other infrastructure upgrades. The Northern Michigan campground consistently ranks in the top five most booked campgrounds in the state and causes traffic backups as campers enter and exit on weekends. Other spring construction includes the Michigan Department of Transportation's $1.9 million project. The day-use beach entrance will be moved east to align with the existing traffic signal at the Three Mile Road-U.S. 31 intersection, which will also be updated. Intermittent closures to the day-use area should be expected, according to MDOT. New utility connections will also be installed this spring as part of the DNR's campground enhancements project. Drivers should expect occasional lane closures.