LIVONIA, Mich. – 
Interstate 96 between Telegraph and Newburgh roads was opened in the 1970s.
Since that time there have been fixes and maintenance but now the Michigan Department of Transportation says it requires a total rebuild.
Interstate to shut down for 1 year
Expect all lanes to shut down by the end of December this year or by January of 2014, a closure that will last an entire year.
"There's just no more rehabilitation, no more band-aides you can put on this freeway. We need to dig down and build it from the bottom up," said MDOT's Rob Morosi.
MDOT is trying to prep the public early to expect and prepare for the closure. By shutting all lanes down the needed repair work can be completed in a year instead of keeping one lane open and extending the rebuild to two or three years. It's not just the new freeway either but also upgrading 37 overpasses, a new drainage system along with new plantings and fencing.
Schoolcraft Service Drive to remain open
How accurate is that one year assessment? MDOT says very. The Lodge and Southfield freeway projects were completed on time and within a year.
You will be able to get around the area. MDOT will post detours and Schoolcraft, which is the I-96 service drive, will remain open. The good news is that once the rebuild is complete MDOT estimates no maintenance work will need to be done for at least seven years.
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