Next stage of I-75 construction in Oakland County begins this weekend: What to know

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The next phase of a project to reconstruct parts of I-75 in Oakland County will start Saturday morning.

Important things to know:

• Segment 2 involves rebuilding more than 8 miles of I-75 between Coolidge Highway and 13 Mile Road.
• In 2019, all I-75 traffic will be on the southbound side of the freeway, with two lanes open in each direction.
• This traffic shift will allow for the northbound lanes to be reconstructed this year.  

Weather permitting, work on segment 2 of the I-75 modernization project in Oakland County will Saturday morning. First it was set to start Monday, then it was pushed to Friday and now it's supposed to start Saturday morning.

However, drivers should stay alert for some lane closures throughout the day on Friday.

A Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman said it should take about 12 hours for the initial work and by Saturday night southbound I-75 will be down to two lanes -- that's expected to last until Thanksgiving.

The Michigan Department of Transporation originally announced the segment 2 construction would begin Thursday, Feb. 28, but then followed up days later with a weather delay announcement. 

Here is aerial video of the stretch of I-75:

Project timeline and impacts:

Initially, the construction impacts will begin after morning rush hour on the southbound lanes from Adams Road to south of 13 Mile Road as crews begin preparations for a traffic shift.

Due to this new configuration, the entrance ramps from Big Beaver and Rochester roads to southbound I-75, along with the exit to eastbound 14 Mile Road, will be closed for safety purposes. 

This $224 million project will involve reconstructing more than 8 miles of pavement, improving 18 structures, upgrading drainage, constructing community-developed aesthetics and federally approved noise walls, and continuing construction of the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes between Coolidge Highway and 13 Mile Road. 

By mid-March, it is expected that all traffic will be carried on the southbound side of the freeway. Two lanes will be open in each direction with a temporary concrete barrier separating northbound and southbound traffic.

Temporary exits will be maintained for northbound traffic at 14 Mile Road, Rochester Road, Big Beaver Road, and Corporate Drive.

A crossover at the Corporate Drive entrance ramp will allow traffic to access northbound I-75 while traffic is shifted onto the southbound lanes. 

The entire I-75 modernization project involves rebuilding approximately 18 miles of pavement, replacing bridges, adding an HOV lane in each direction, and bringing the freeway up to current design standards from north of M-102 (Eight Mile Road) to South Boulevard.        

Project map: