HOUSE BILL NO. 4656

A bill to amend 1917 PA 165, entitled

"An act to authorize highway officials to close roads under construction, improvement or repair, or any portion of a highway whereon a bridge is being constructed or repaired; to require such officials to place in good repair and to mark by proper signs suitable detours around roads, or portions of roads, which are closed hereunder; to provide suitable barriers, and lights shall be maintained at the end of such roads or portions of roads which are thus closed and at the intersections thereof with other roads; to require the removal of signs and barriers located and placed hereunder; and to provide a penalty for a violation of the provisions hereof,"

by amending section 1 (MCL 247.291), as amended by 2023 PA 164.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1. (1) Subject to section 1a, the requirements of this act, the officials in charge of constructing, improving, or repairing highways may close any highway or portion of highway that is under process of construction, improvement, or repair or upon which is located any bridge that is being constructed or repaired. A highway or portion of highway must not be closed under this act until after suitable barriers have been erected at the ends of the closed highway or portion of highway, and also at the point of intersection of the closed highway or portion of highway with other highways.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), a highway or bridge shall not be closed entirely to traffic into and out of a community if either of the following applies:

(a) The highway or bridge provides the only highway access or exit for the community.

(b) The only alternative highway access or exit for the community is regularly closed due to railroad crossings.

(3) A highway or bridge described in subsection (2) may be closed entirely to traffic if necessary construction, improvement, or repairs require the highway or bridge to be closed entirely to traffic and no method of allowing traffic on the highway or bridge during construction is feasible. A highway or bridge may be closed entirely to traffic under this subsection only for as long of a time as is necessary, and the construction, improvement, or repair must be completed expediently and in a manner that reopens a portion of the highway or bridge to traffic as soon as possible.