GETTING AROUND METRO DETROIT WILL BE A BIT EASIER THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND, despite ongoing construction delays by MDOT on I-696. — Getting Around Metro Detroit will be a bit easier this holiday weekend, despite ongoing construction delays by MDOT on I-696.
Today, you can see construction equipment all over and we’ve learned it will remain this way thru the summer.
Hoping to ease traffic headaches for travelers during the Memorial Day Weekend, MDOT will scale back major construction work, with just one lane blocked each way on I-696.
While the move is designed to help, it comes at a time when the state’s timeline is already behind leaving people confused.
On the website movingmacomb.org, the WB 696 ramp to 11 Mile and WB service drive 11 Mile to Dequindre we’re both supposed to wrap up by May 24th. Now, we’re told work will take longer.
“It’s a lot of headache for people, but at least this weekend is some relief,” one driver tells us.
Much of the project was supposed to wrap up at the end of May, however repairs and rebuilding of a median barrier wall, shoulder work and other essentials equal more slowdowns.
Remember, a statewide work stoppage already brought things to a standstill last fall, when November was the projected end to the 28 mile long project. Today, an MDOT spokesperson declined an on camera interview request.
They did issue the following news release:
MDOT lifts traffic restrictions to ease Memorial Day travel
Safety benefits:
- MDOT is suspending work and lifting traffic restrictions wherever possible this holiday weekend to ease congestion and increase safety.
- Although some equipment and traffic configurations will remain over the weekend, suspending construction operations improves safety for workers and motorists.
- Remember to buckle up, stay alert and avoid distractions at all times when driving.
This Memorial Day weekend, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is removing lane restrictions on nearly 70 percent of its road and bridge projects statewide to ease traffic delays for holiday travelers. AAA Michigan estimates more than 1.3 million people from Michigan are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, up 3.3 percent from last year and the largest number in almost 15 years.
Beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, May 24, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 28, 90 out of 131 projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed. While motorists will see suspended operations in most MDOT construction zones for the weekend, drivers are advised that equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.
"With the weather finally getting warmer, we expect more people to get out to enjoy everything our great state has to offer," said State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba. "However, this is also the time that many needed road and bridge projects are taking place. We encourage all drivers to slow down, stay alert and avoid distractions in construction zones. While you're depending on us to fix the roads, road workers are trusting you with their lives. Let's make sure everyone makes it home each and every night."
MDOT oversees I, M, and US routes and is responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of state highways, which carry more than 50 percent of all traffic and approximately 70 percent of commercial traffic in Michigan.
For up-to-date information on MDOT projects, view the list of statewide lane closures on the Mi Drive website at www.Michigan.gov/Drive [links.govdelivery.com].
The following is a list of work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Memorial Day weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.
Upper Peninsula
- I-75 Business Spur (BS) [links.govdelivery.com] in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, has one lane open in each direction from I-75 to M-129. A detour is in effect at the Three Mile Road leg of the new I-75 BS roundabout.
- M-26 [links.govdelivery.com], Houghton County, will be restricted to one lane in alternating directions via temporary signals just north of Dollar Bay over a tributary of Gooseneck Creek.
- US-2/US-41/M-35 [links.govdelivery.com], Delta County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift between County Road 426 and Mead Road.
- US-41/M-28 [links.govdelivery.com], Marquette County, has narrowed and shifted northbound lanes just east of Brickyard Road.
For more information, contact MDOT Superior Region Communications Representative Dan Weingarten at 906-250-4809. Follow the Superior Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_UP [links.govdelivery.com].
Northern Lower Peninsula
- M-55 [links.govdelivery.com], Manistee County, will be closed and detoured between M-37 and Seaman Road.
- M-72 [links.govdelivery.com], Crawford County, will have one lane open in each direction west of Grayling.
- US-31 [links.govdelivery.com] in Petoskey, Emmet County, will be detoured on city streets.
- US-131 [links.govdelivery.com], Grand Traverse County, will be closed and detoured between M-113 and M-186 near Fife Lake.
For more information, contact MDOT North Region Communications Representative James Lake at 906-250-0993. Follow the North Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_Traverse [links.govdelivery.com].
West Michigan
- I-96 [links.govdelivery.com] in Grand Rapids has lane closures and a traffic shift between M-21 (Fulton Street) and Leonard Street.
- I-96 [links.govdelivery.com], Ionia County, has traffic shifts in place near Cutler Road. Cutler Road is closed over I-96.
- I-96 [links.govdelivery.com], Ottawa County, will have one lane open in each direction near the M-104 and 112th Avenue interchanges.
- I-196 [links.govdelivery.com] in Grand Rapids has the westbound lanes closed at Ottawa Avenue before the US-131 interchange.
- I-196 [links.govdelivery.com] in Grand Rapids has lane closures and a traffic shift between Fuller Avenue and M-44 (East Beltline Avenue).
- I-196 [links.govdelivery.com], Kent and Ottawa counties, has lane closures and a traffic shift between 44th Street and 32nd Avenue. Eastbound I-196 traffic must exit to eastbound M-6. The eastbound M-6 ramp to eastbound I-196 is closed.
- M-120 (Holton Road) [links.govdelivery.com], Muskegon County, has the westbound lanes closed between Giles Road and Getty Street. Detour: Giles Road to Whitehall Road.
For more information, contact MDOT Grand Region Communications Representative John Richard at 616-262-1565. Follow the Grand Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_West [links.govdelivery.com].
Southwest Michigan
- I-94 [links.govdelivery.com], Berrien County, has three lanes open in each direction at Glenlord Road. The Glenlord Road bridge over I-94 is closed and detoured.
- I-94 Business Loop [links.govdelivery.com] in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, has the eastbound ramp to I-94 closed and detoured. ML Avenue is closed over I-94 and detoured as well.
- I-196 [links.govdelivery.com], Berrien County, has two lanes open with a traffic shift from Exit 1 to Exit 7. One northbound lane is open from I-94 to Exit 1.
- M-66 [links.govdelivery.com], St. Joseph County, is closed between M-86 and Colon Road with a posted detour.
- M-139 [links.govdelivery.com], Berrien County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift between I-94 and Hinchman Road.
- US-12 [links.govdelivery.com] in Sturgis, St. Joseph County, is closed from Franks Avenue to Centerville Road with a posted detour.
For more information, contact MDOT Southwest Region Communications Representative Nick Schirripa at 269-208-7829. Follow the Southwest Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_Southwest [links.govdelivery.com].
Central Michigan and Thumb
- I-69 [links.govdelivery.com] in Flint, Genesee County, will have one lane closed over Hammerberg Road.
- I-475 [links.govdelivery.com], Genesee County, has the southbound lanes closed from I-75 to Carpenter Road. Northbound I-475 will have one lane closed from I-69 to Carpenter Road, and two lanes closed from Carpenter Road to the north I-75/I-475 junction.
- M-20 [links.govdelivery.com] in Midland, Midland County, has one lane open in each direction over the Tittabawassee River.
- M-25 (Veterans Memorial Bridge) [links.govdelivery.com] in Bay City, Bay County, is closed over the Saginaw River. Detour posted.
- M-53/M-142 [links.govdelivery.com] in Bad Axe, Huron County, will be closed from Huron Avenue to Irwin Street for permit work. Detour posted.
- US-10 [links.govdelivery.com], Clare County, will have one eastbound lane closed from US-127 to US-10 Business Route.
For more information, contact MDOT Bay Region Communications Representative Jocelyn Hall at 989-245-7117. Follow the Bay Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_Bay [links.govdelivery.com].
Southern Michigan
None
For more information, contact MDOT University Region Communications Representative Aaron Jenkins at 517-243-9075. Follow the University Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_LanJxn [links.govdelivery.com] and www.twitter.com/MDOT_A2 [links.govdelivery.com].
Metro Detroit
Macomb County
- I-696 [links.govdelivery.com] will have one lane closed in each direction between I-75 and I-94.
Oakland County
- Grand River Avenue [links.govdelivery.com] is closed over M-5 and detoured.
- I-75 [links.govdelivery.com] has two lanes open in each direction with a traffic shift between 13 Mile Road and Square Lake Road.
- I-75 [links.govdelivery.com] has two lanes open in each direction between M-24 (Lapeer Road) and Baldwin Road.
- M-1 [links.govdelivery.com] has the northbound right lane closed at 14 Mile Road.
- M-59 [links.govdelivery.com] has one eastbound lane open from Tipsico Lake Road to Milford Road.
- US-24 [links.govdelivery.com] has two lanes open in each direction between Long Lake Road and Square Lake Road.
Wayne County
- Brush Street [links.govdelivery.com] in Detroit is closed over I-94 and detoured.
- French Street and Concord Avenue [links.govdelivery.com] in Detroit are closed over I-94 and detoured. The Conner Street ramp to westbound I-94 is also closed and detoured.
- I-75 [links.govdelivery.com] has one northbound lane closed between Sibley Road and Northline Road.
- I-75 [links.govdelivery.com] has one lane open on the northbound ramp to northbound US-24.
- I-75 [links.govdelivery.com] in Detroit has the northbound and southbound ramps to westbound I-94 closed and detoured.
- I-94 [links.govdelivery.com] in Detroit has the eastbound ramp to northbound M-10 closed and detoured.
- US-24 [links.govdelivery.com] has the right lane closed in each direction at Ecorse Road.
For more information, contact MDOT Metro Region Communications Representative Diane Cross at 248-752-0336. Follow the Metro Region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDOT_MetroDet [links.govdelivery.com].
