The 35-year-old rest stop facility along northbound US-31 south of Rothbury will be conpletely demolished and rebuilt as part of a $4 million project.

The biggest chunk will be spent on the US-31 expressway rest area, south of Rothbury, which is set to undergo $4 million worth of reconstruction late this summer. The reconstruction project is scheduled to begin in September and not be completed until June 2013.

According to Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) spokesman John Richard, the project will include demolishing the 35-year-old building originally constructed in 1977. Richard said the facility has reached its service life and needs to be updated.

“This will save us in maintenance costs and will improve service to the motoring public,” Richard said.

The project includes construction of a new building, expansion of the truck and car parking areas, resurfacing the ramps and parking areas and updating the sidewalk and curb.

The rest area will be closed during reconstruction process.

Other MDOT projects slated for Oceana County include:

• 2.4 miles of concrete joint repairs along BR-31 (Polk Road), Hart; work to be performed from the US-31 expressway east to State Street and then north to Johnson Street in Hart; includes reconstruction of the Polk Road/State Street intersection and repaving Polk from State to Oceana Drive; May-June; one lane will be open in each direction; $1.8 million.

• Bridge rehab at US-31/Webster Road, Grant Township; Webster Road closed and detoured; $987,000.

• BR-31 culvert replacement at Wythe Street, Pentwater; BR-31 closed and detoured; September-December; $913,000.