• The reconstruction of one of Traverse City’s busiest streets will cost $24.7 million and last through November.
• Tourism officials do not expect this to greatly affect tourist flow across the region.
• Those who monitor the region’s tourism-heavy economy say they are more concerned about continuing labor and housing issues.
Orange cones line Traverse City’s busiest streets ahead of one of the community’s largest road reconstruction projects to date.
Starting Sunday, the Michigan Department of Transportation is rebuilding US 31 from Garfield Avenue to the east side of downtown. Later this summer, the project will be near the city’s beachfront and is expected to cause traffic backups on the heavily traveled stretch of US 31.
The $24.7 million project has been under discussion for years. In addition to resurfacing roads, it will add more footpaths and improve critical wastewater infrastructure. The work is expected to last until November.
Downtown business owners have already raised concerns about heavy detours at a public meeting last month. They worry the project could prevent some people from visiting downtown shops and restaurants.
However, local tourism officials like Trevor Tkach, president of Traverse City Tourism, say the construction shouldn’t be a problem for them.
“Construction will be a challenge for many visitors this year. But we don’t expect a slowdown in employment,” Tkach said.
He says that in most cases, tourists will rarely look into road and traffic conditions before their vacation. But this summer, they’ll have to find ways to adapt once they get to the area.
“What we do at Traverse City Tourism is spread as much information as possible in our member accommodations so they can inform their guests how best to navigate Traverse City once they get here, Tkach said.
Accommodation members are hotels, motels and others.
The Downtown Development Authority and the Bay Area Transportation Authority are partnering to adjust bus routes to help navigate detours.
Tkach says the Traverse Area Recreation Trail will also prove valuable for people movement this summer. The reconstruction of Front Street will also pave the way for the widening of the trail.
For other vacation destinations in northern Michigan, the project is likely to have minimal impact.
“I can’t imagine crowds of people coming here instead of going there because this road is being built,” said Amanda Wilkins, executive director of Visit Charlevoix, the community’s tourism agency. “I imagine most people trying to visit downtown Traverse City would still do that and find a way to get there.”
The thinking is much the same in other vacation spots further north.
Areas like Charlevoix, Petoskey and Boyne City have historically been destinations for short getaways and weekend getaways. Officials say that type of travel has increased during the pandemic years.
According to data sets from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Charlevoix County saw about $70 million more spent by visitors in 2021 compared to 2020. Spending is even higher than pre-pandemic levels.
“People were looking for driving destinations instead of flying destinations … So we took advantage of that,” said Sarah Van Horn, president of the Charlevoix Chamber of Commerce. “I think this upcoming season will be on par with what we saw last year — which was a little bit down from the peak of the pandemic.”
Emmett County saw a bigger jump during the pandemic years, with over $100 million more pouring into their economy in places like Petoskey and Boyne City.
While those jumps are expected to level off over the next few years, officials say they have presented some new challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining the area’s workforce.
Jim Powell is director of the Petoskey Visitors Bureau. He said those problems are likely to continue this summer.
“I think that’s always going to be a challenge, especially with some of the housing challenges that exist here in northern Michigan and across the state for that matter,” he said. “I think we as consumers understand and expect that. When I walk into a restaurant, my expectations are certainly a little different than before.”
