Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

GLADSTONE -- Trooper Geno Basanese of the Michigan State Police Gladstone Post says he sees twice as many cars out on the roads and highways during the holidays.  So, starting Friday, the M.S.P. will direct all patrols towards traffic enforcement.

"Looking for drunk drivers, also speed enforcement, and we look for safety belt violations, things like that," says Basanese.

And it's a good thing, too, because according to AAA, the number of those driving nationally this Labor Day weekend, as opposed to flying, is up by about 100,000.  However, the report also says the overall number of travelers will be down.  This could be because gas prices are among the highest they've ever been this time of year, second only to Labor Day 2008.

But the Bays De Noc Convention and Visitor's Bureau isn't worried about their numbers.

"We're expecting, in general, that we will have the same amount of traffic.  We're blessed just because we are the natural stop to Mackinac Island, and that tends to help us," says Steve Masters of the Bays De Noc Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Beginning Friday at 3 p.m., 82 of 147 construction projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed in hopes of making travel easier for the estimated 1.2 million motorists using Michigan roads.