The Michigan Department of Transportation announced Monday a new plan for the Modernize I-75 project that could shave 10 years off of the project's original 17-year lifespan.
They are now using a long term approach called design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) method.
Instead of doing the project in eight different spans through 2032, they will instead complete the project in three different stretches.
The first segment between South Blvd. and Coolidge Highway is already complete.
Originally, the segments for the project were:
- 2018: North of Wattles to North of Coolidge
- Tunnel/2020: Tunnel from 8 Mile to 12 Mile
- Braid/2022: North of I-696 to south of 12 Mile
- 2024: North of Rochester to North of Wattles
- 2026: North of 13 Mile to North of Rochester Rd.
- 2028: South of 12 Mile to north of 13 Mile
- 2030: North of 9 Mile to I-696
- 2032: North of 8 Mile to north of 9 Mile
Now, the project will be completed with the southern segment DBFM first from 8 Mile to 13 Mile. Then, crews will complete the northern segment from 13 Mile to Coolidge.
They anticipate it could be completed by 2022, and the new project means there will be more construction at once with 18 total miles being changed by the end of the entire project.
All construction has stopped for now while MDOT takes bids from contractors.
