DETROIT – The Michigan Department of Transportation is detailing a large new project that will shut down several lanes on seven miles of I-94 near Detroit Metro Airport.
Drivers who travel on I-94 every day, or anyone planning to visit DTW anytime soon, will need to be prepared for a longer commute. Officials said this project will be going on for the next couple of months.
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- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing $15.5 million to repair I-94 and 12 bridges in western Wayne County. This work includes road repairs between I-275 and Beech Daly Road, west of US-24, and bridge work at Wayne, Vining, Merriman, Middle Belt, Ecorse, and Beech Daly roads.
- Bridge work includes epoxy overlay, beam repair, rail patching, substructure replacement and repair, and deck patching.
"The way traffic is being maintained is out of the three lanes of 94, two out of three being maintained, and on the service drives here at Merriman and Middle Belt, one out of two is being maintained," MDOT Project Manager Bill Erben said.
The project will wrap up in November, so until then, it's going to be a slower commute near the airport.
"We recommend -- there's a second entrance to the airport off of 275 and Eureka, so that's the back door to the airport," Erben said.
It's been a headache in the area since Memorial Day, but most drivers agree the work was necessary.
"Those roads are pretty raggity," driver Tyrone Massey said.
That's not the only stretch of I-94 getting a facelift.
"The whole 94 corridor as you go into Detroit is being worked on," Erben said.
But once work wraps up in the winter, the lane closure will end. A few finishing touches will be made in the spring, but that shouldn't affect normal rush hour commutes, officials said.
I-94 isn't the only freeway causing headaches this fall. I-75 in Oakland County is the other major construction project that will continue until the winter.
"Those are your major freeways with your biggest volume of construction," Erben said.
The I-75 project will also wrap up in November but start back up in the spring and bring each direction of I-75 to two lanes once again.