OAK PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — As metro Detroit commuters prepare for construction chaos, drivers are expressing their concerns over the upcoming closure of eastbound I-696.
Beginning Monday after the morning rush, the eastbound lanes are expected to shut down for two years, creating a ripple effect of inconveniences for hundreds of thousands of drivers.
“I feel terrible for people who have to take it or they have no other choice but to take it," said Carmen Nissan, who no longer takes I-696 due to the conditions of the freeway after hitting a pothole herself.
Terry Fradl, who takes I-696 five to six days per week, is preparing for the new commute and detour that is expected to take her longer.
“I know it's going to be a much longer of a drive home and a lot more gas,” she says.
Gary was pumping gas into his car at Lahser and I-696. He typically takes the Lodge Freeway but says there's going to be frustration, especially from drivers who are not prepared for the detour.
"It's going to be a lot of inconvenience and a lot of wasted time,” he said.
Despite the detour, Carmen is ready for the repairs to take place: “I am ready for it to be fixed, but it's something they should have done long ago.”
For those planning their routes, the suggested detour is expected to add significant time and distance to commutes.
“I would say it's a good 20 more miles,” says Terry
In an effort to gauge the impact firsthand, I set out to calculate the typical drive from Lahser to Dequindre Road, which usually takes about 7 minutes under ideal driving conditions. However, with the eastbound lanes closing, that time is expected to double, with drivers taking the M-DOT detour—routing them from the Lodge to the Davison to I-75 and back onto I-696.
Gary expressed concern about the new detour, “I hope it doesn't take too long again. Everyone is going to be rerouted, so again, it's probably going to extend your driving time by 30 minutes at least.”
With the new detour in place, drivers can expect to add approximately 10 miles to their daily commute, translating to an additional 50 miles a week.
Nashwan Ralesh, a clerk at a local gas station right at Lahser and The Lodge, says he's noticed more customers.
“The traffic increased over here so far,” he says.
For those calculating the costs, if your vehicle averages 25 miles per gallon and gas prices hover around $3 per gallon, you can expect to pay about an extra $6 per week just for gas due to the detour.
When asked about the potential wear and tear on their vehicles, Terry says she has not yet calculated that factor.
“No, I am not [ready], and maybe my insurance is going to be going up because I am driving further,” she says.
If drivers are adding an additional 50 miles per week and taking the detour five days a week for 40 weeks, that amounts to an extra 2,000 miles on their vehicles over the course of the closures.
As the new work week approaches and drivers prepare over the weekend, Carmen has some advice for fellow drivers starting on Monday: “Find alternative routes before you have to be somewhere. Pay attention, and good luck if you have to take it because you're going to need it.”
