Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park’s campground in Michigan closed July 7 and will remain closed through the 2026 season as part of an $8.5 million renovation aimed at addressing long-standing infrastructure and traffic challenges.
The project marks the first major overhaul of the site since its original master plan was approved in 1978 and amended in 1983.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said the redesign will modernize key elements of the campground’s infrastructure while improving safety, accessibility, and operational efficiency.
The campground, consistently ranked among the state’s five most booked, is scheduled to reopen in April 2027.
A central feature of the overhaul is a reconfigured entrance designed to ease congestion along U.S. 31 and better separate beachgoer, campground, and through-traffic.
The area has experienced significant backups for decades, particularly during peak summer weekends, prompting repeated public complaints and safety concerns.
“The gift that ARPA was for us. This level of transformative change is just a monumentous, historic time in this park’s history,” Cadillac District Supervisor Kasey Cline, referring to the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that will finance the project, said, as reported by MLive on July 7
Planned improvements include a new campground contact station for improved customer service and traffic flow, a relocated park headquarters south of Mitchell Creek to shield visitors from work areas, and an expanded sanitation station to reduce camper wait times during peak departures.
One of the enhancements is the removal of the pedestrian bridge spanning U.S. 31.
Cline said the pedestrian bridge had long been a visual distraction and logistical hurdle in planning.
“We frankly never thought it would come because you can’t do one part of this project without doing everything,” she said. “I’d stand out and look out at these long lines and just dream of this day with our park rangers.”
According to the DNR, traffic issues at the park date back to at least 1972, with internal memos citing safety hazards and congestion along the stretch of U.S. 31.
A 2021 traffic study confirmed the need for a signalized intersection due to heavy volumes of both vehicles and pedestrians.
Despite the current plan not including a replacement pedestrian bridge, officials noted growing interest in long-term solutions. “Locating a structure of that size in a heavily commercialized area is difficult and we will continue to be involved as a stakeholder,” Cline said.
The renovation comes in response to nearly five decades of growth in visitor numbers. According to the DNR, overnight visitation has increased nearly 400% since the last comprehensive master plan.