MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – Normal traffic operations will be restored now that work has progressed to safely reopen I-696, the Michigan Department of Transportation said.
RELATED: MDOT targets first week of January to fully reopen I-696
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A timeline of events was released Sunday detailing what needs to happen to hit the Jan. 7, 2019, reopening.
Wednesday, Jan. 2
- On Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., only two eastbound lanes will be open and exits to Groesbeck Highway and Dequindre and Mound roads will intermittently close. Additionally, northbound and southbound ramps to I-696 from I-75 will be closed. After 3 p.m., crews will begin removing temporary traffic control equipment.
Thursday, Jan. 3 to Monday, Jan. 7
- From Thursday, Jan. 3 to Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, crews will begin preparing westbound I-696 to return to normal traffic operations. Pavement markings will be replaced, traffic control devices will be removed and there will be lane closures on eastbound and westbound I-94.
MDOT said construction isn't complete yet, but the project -- which started in April -- will have to stop before any major winter weather comes in. Work will pick up again in the spring.
The $90 million construction project kicked off back in April, shutting down westbound I-696 between I-94 and I-75. Eastbound lanes have been closed on several weekends during the project. Eastbound traffic has been traveling on the newly repaved westbound side for months while westbound traffic remains shut down.
MDOT first announced the massive interstate construction project in October 2017, saying due to poor condition the freeway must undergo concrete replacement on this stretch in Macomb County.
According to MDOT, I-696 carries about 150,000 vehicles a day through Macomb County.