OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The third segment of the I-75 modernization project in Oakland County is underway.
Segment 3 of the project focuses on rebuilding the stretch between Eight Mile and 13 Mile roads, which is more than 5 miles long.
- Segment 3 involves rebuilding more than 5 miles of I-75 between 8 Mile and 13 Mile roads.
- In 2019, prep work will require continuous lane and ramp closures with two lanes open in each direction during peak travel times.
- Prep work is expected to wrap up in November, allowing all lanes and ramps to remain open during the winter months.
Prep work will require continuous lane and ramp closures, including the freeway being down to two lanes in each direction during rush hours. Prep work is expected to wrap up in November, so all lanes and ramps can reopen during the winter.
The project got underway Sunday, Aug. 11.
How traffic is affected
The beginning of the project will affect the southbound lanes of I-75 from 11 Mile Road to Eight Mile Road. Crews will be preparing for a multiyear project to rebuild more than 5 miles of pavement, replace 25 bridges, construct retaining walls and install new drainage infrastructure.
Starting Aug. 11, the right lane of southbound I-75 will be closed from 11 Mile Road to Eight Mile Road so crews can widen the shoulder for an eventual traffic shift.
Crews will also close the ramp from westbound I-696 to southbound I-75, the ramp from southbound I-75 to Eight Mile Road, the ramp from southbound I-75 to Nine Mile Road and the Nine Mile Road entrance ramp to southbound I-75.
Workers will construct temporary median crossovers, remove the Dallas Road overpass above I-75 and work on the northbound service drive.
In 2020, all I-75 traffic will be on the southbound side of the freeway between 11 Mile and Eight Mile roads. Two lanes will be open on each side. The sides will be separated by a temporary concrete barrier.
"Based on the complexity and the volume of work, Segment 3 will be constructed in phases," Metro Region Engineer Kimberly Avery said. "Starting in spring 2020, each phase will be constructed in one year, with winter shutdowns, until fall 2023."
The cost
The Oaklaned Corridor Partners team will be responsible for the cost of designing, constructing and maintaining this stretch of I-75 over a 30-year period, MDOT officials said. This allows for flexibility to fund the project with payments spread out over the duration of the contract, officials said.
The concessionaire is responsible for maintaining this section of I-75 for 25 years after construction is finished. The cost of the 30-year agreement is $1.4 billion, including $640 million in design and construction costs.
"In agreements like this that transfer maintenance responsibility to a private party, the state benefits from guaranteed performance standards and long-term pricing that is locked in throughout the term of the contract," Avery said.