M-72 will be closed just west of the M-22 intersection in Elmwood Township for approximately four weeks beginning February 3 as utility companies DTE and Traverse City Light & Power have their underground utilities relocated beneath the roadway.

The utilities’ contractor, Team Elmer’ s, will perform the work under a permit from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). During the closure, M-72 traffic will be detoured on county roads and city streets. The work is in preparation for the biggest local road project on deck in 2025: the planned 2.2-mile rebuild of M-72 (Grandview Parkway) from Division Street in Traverse City and M-22 (Bay Shore Drive) to Cherry Bend Road in Elmwood Township, including a new roundabout at M-72/M-22. That project is expected to start in mid-April and last through the fall.

During the utility work, M-72 will be closed at Bay Street, just west of the M-72/M-22 intersection in Traverse City/Elmwood Township. M-72 will be closed to through-traffic from Gray Road/Bugai Road to Bay Street, but all businesses located along M-72 will remain open and accessible during the project. M-22 will remain open between US-31/M-37 (Division Street) and Cherry Bend Road. Due to the closure, M-72 traffic is currently expected to be detoured as follows:

> Eastbound M-72 traffic to northbound M-22 will be detoured north on South Bugai Road and east on Cherry Bend Road to M-22.
> Eastbound M-72 traffic to Traverse City will be detoured on Tilton Road, Cedar Run Road, West Front Street, and US-31/M-37 (Division Street) to M-72. A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the Cedar Run Road/Gray Road intersection.
> Westbound M-72 traffic from Traverse City will be detoured on US-31/M-37 (Division Street), West Front Street, Cedar Run Road, and Gray Road to M-72. A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the Cedar Run Road/Gray Road intersection.
> Southbound M-22 traffic to westbound M-72 will be detoured west on Cherry Bend Road and south on South Bugai Road to M-72.
> Eastbound M-72 truck traffic to northbound M-22 will be detoured north on South Bugai Road/South Lake Leelanau Drive (County Road 641), east on East Bingham Road, north on South Center Highway, and east on 4th Street to M-22.
> Eastbound M-72 truck traffic to the Elmwood Township/Greilickville area will detour north on Bugai Road and east on Cherry Bend Road to M-22.
> Southbound M-22 truck traffic to westbound M-72 will be detoured west on Cherry Bend Road and south on South Bugai Road.

Additional closures will include:

> Bay Street will be closed from M-72 to Ramsdell Street. Bay Street will also be closed to through-traffic at the intersections with US-31/M-37 (Division Street), Ramsdell Street, Monroe Street, Elmwood Avenue, Spruce Street, Cedar Street, and Wayne Street.
> East Carter Road will be closed to through-traffic from M-72 to M-22.
> Barney Road will be closed to through-traffic from Gray Road to Cedar Run Road.
> Harris Road will be closed to through-traffic from Cedar Run Road to Barney Road.
> East Lincoln Road will be closed to through-traffic from Bugai Road to Cherry Bend Road.

Sidewalks and the TART Trail on the northwest side of the M-72/M-22 intersection will be closed during the work, along with the sidewalk access across Bay Street on the south side of M-72. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be detoured to the sidewalk on the east side of M-22 at the intersection with M-72, with crossings maintained at Elmwood Avenue, the south side of the M-72/M-22 intersection, and a temporary location at the Circle K fueling station, with access to the TART trail via the Larkin Group driveway. Directional signs for pedestrians and bicyclists will be posted in advance of the closure locations and detours.