Berrien County road project on U.S. 12 set to begin with tree clearing Nov. 1

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- The Michigan Department of Transportation is completing the final stages of preparation this week for work to begin Friday on a $9.1 million project on almost seven miles of U.S.12 in Berrien County.

The project will stretch from the Galien/Bertrand township line to Mayflower Road and MDOT will contract Kalin Construction Co. to help with the work.

Work will begin Nov. 1 with tree clearing and continue with roadwork expected to start in April 2025. The whole project is projected to be finished by Sept. 15, 2025.

MDOT officials say the project includes asphalt repaving, shoulder widening, intersection rebuilding, drainage improvements, guardrail replacement, and pavement markings.

The closest cities to the construction will be Buchana, Galien, and Niles. 

"During tree clearing, there will be shoulder closures and intermittent single-lane closures," MDOT officials said. "During road construction in 2025, there will be lane closures and some total closures with posted detours for culvert replacement."

Based on economic modeling projections, the entire project is estimated to directly and indirectly support 110 jobs.

"Tree clearing helps maintain safe roadsides by reducing fixed-object crashes," said MDOT officials. "The resurfacing will extend the service life of the road, improving the ride quality and safety for motorists."