Michigan closes parking and restrooms at five welcome centers

April 27, 2020

•

Tyson Fisher

|

The Michigan Department of Transportation is shutting down restroom facilities and parking at five welcome centers due to budget constraints because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, April 24, MDOT announced that restrooms at five welcome centers will be closed from Saturday, April 25, through Sunday, May 10. The move comes as MDOT is laying off maintenance employees responsible for cleaning and sanitizing those facilities.

Affected welcome centers include:

  • Sault Sainte Marie  on Interstate 75 South at mile marker 394.
  • Monroe on I-75 North at mile marker 10.
  • Coldwater on Interstate 69 North at mile marker 6.
  • New Buffalo on Interstate 94 East at mile marker 0.5.
  • Detroit-Mexicantown on I-75 North at mile marker 47.

Ramps and parking at the above locations will also be closed. According to an MDOT news release, security and sanitary concerns are the reasons for shutting down parking. However, parking at the Detroit welcome center will remain open. That location uses a shared parking lot.

Two other welcome centers have previously closed their restroom facilities: Menominee on U.S 41 and Iron Mountain on U.S. 2.

Meanwhile, the 63 rest areas throughout Michigan remain open. Exceptions include, St. Ignace (I-75S at mile marker 348), Topinabee (I-75N at mile marker 317), Hebron (I-75S at mile marker 328), Ludington (U.S. 31 at mile marker 163) and Hart (U.S. 31S at mile marker 147). Those rest areas are closed seasonally. Also, the rest area in Chelsea on I-94E at mile marker 161 is also closed due to drainage issues.

Restrooms at the Marquette (U.S. 41), Ironwood (U.S. 2), St. Ignace (I-75N at mile marker 344), Mackinaw City (I-75N at mile marker 338), Dundee (U.S. 23N at mile marker 7), Clare (U.S. 1 mile marker 160) and Port Huron (I-94W) welcome centers remain open. Private contractors at those facilities provide maintenance.

Information lobbies at all Michigan welcome centers are closed until further notice.

For more information about truck parking at state rest areas and welcome centers, check out Land Line’s COVID-19 resource page.

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Tyson Fisher joined Land Line Magazine in March 2014. An award-winning journalist and tireless researcher, his news reports, features and blogs bring depth to our editorial content, backed with solid detail. Tyson is a lifelong Kansas Citian.