DETROIT (WXYZ) — Motorists planning to take I-94 through the heart of Detroit should expect delays and detours for a week.
A large section of the highway between M-10 and I-75 around Wayne State University closed Friday and will remain closed while a new bridge is getting installed.
The culprit is a 5 million pound bridge that was built in a nearby parking lot and is now making its week-long journey across the highway.
The new 2nd Street bridge crept along slowly Friday. It was a wonder to onlookers like Kimberly Stafford.
“I think it’s excellent. I mean I’m just so in awe of the bridge and I think it’s an engineering feat,” Stafford said.
While the engineering behind such a project is impressive, it also means headaches for many motorists who rely on I-94.
“I mean, we all know Michigan. There’s always some kind of construction going on, so we have to make adjustments. It’s not that big of a deal,” Stafford said.
Rob Morosi with the Michigan Department of Transportation acknowledged the size of the task.
“Obviously, it's an inconvenience any time you’re shutting down an interstate, especially in the heart of Detroit,” Morris said.
He encouraged motorists to plan ahead.
“Really, the key is going to be diversion. The first day is always the roughest. There are options out there and we hope people will utilize those options, whether they be other freeways, whether they be larger boulevards, it’s just for this week to get people in and out of downtown,” Morosi said.
The price tag of the project is $26 million. Morosi, however said long term, it should end up saving money and future headaches in the coming years when the state fixes the I-94 and Lodge Freeway interchange entrance and exit ramps.
Moises Molina and his family came to see the big move Friday.
“This awesome. One of the awsome-est things I’ve ever seen,” Molina admitted.
He said he knows it’s a hassle, but this is the only way Detroiters see progress.
“You know, people complain that, ‘Oh, the streets are bad.’ OK, we got to shut down the street. Deal with it,” Molina said.
He wants other states and cities to see a project like this and think that big things are happening in Detroit.
“It’s a good thing they’re fixing the bridge. It’s a bad thing they have to shut the roads down. So just have patience and deal with it and hopefully, we’ll get through this,” Molina said.
