Michigan Storm Unleashes Traffic Nightmares—Here’s What Happened

Driving in Michigan is a unique experience compared to other states. With freeway speed limits reaching 75 miles per hour in some areas and responsive traffic lights, we can usually get around pretty efficiently in the Great Lakes State.

But when our traffic infrastructure takes a hit, it can literally bring everything to a screeching halt. Over the weekend, Michigan was pounded by a major thunderstorm that wreaked havoc on several traffic systems.

Storm Slams Michigan, Floods I-75

Water pumps along I-75 couldn’t keep up with the heavy rainfall, causing massive flooding that shut down the interstate in both directions between Miller and Corunna Roads.

On top of that, several traffic lights went out due to power outages, while others began malfunctioning after lightning strikes triggered confusing light patterns.

Traffic Lights Fail Across Mid-Michigan

Typically, when a traffic light experiences a glitch or power surge, it defaults to blinking red in all directions until technicians can safely reset the system.

However, at the US-23/Grand Blanc Road interchange, the lights on both sides of the highway displayed blinking red while green and yellow lights were still cycling like normal. It was especially confusing for drivers trying to exit US-23 or cross Grand Blanc Road. Should you go on green, even if red is blinking at the same time?

What to Do at a Malfunctioning Light

When a traffic light isn’t powered up, you should always treat the intersection as a four-way stop. The same rule applies to malfunctioning lights in Michigan and across the country. If you come across a traffic signal that doesn’t seem to be working properly, treat it as a four-way stop.