August 5, 2008 -- In the coming weeks, the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Metro Region is set to begin four new road and bridge projects. These projects were moved from the 2009 construction season as a part of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm's economic stimulus package. Announced in February 2008, the economic stimulus package accelerates almost $150 million in road and bridge projects across the state, with $67 million of that dedicated to improvements in the Metro Region. "The goal of these projects is to create new jobs for Metro Detroit residents while continuing to improve the region's vital infrastructure," said MDOT Metro Region Engineer Greg Johnson.
Two of the projects will begin in August, with all four underway by early September. Projects include the complete reconstruction of I-94 between County Line Road and St. Clair Highway in St. Clair County, and extensive sign upgrading in Oakland County along the I-75 corridor between the Wayne County line and the Genesee County line. MDOT will also rehabilitate two interchanges simultaneously; I-696 at Mound Road in Macomb County, and M-153 (Ford Road) at Evergreen Road in the city of Dearborn.
St. Clair County
Beginning August 6, I-94 in St. Clair County will be reduced to a single lane in each direction, with all traffic shifted to the eastbound side of the freeway. This traffic shift will allow crews to perform a complete reconstruction of westbound I-94 between County Line Road and St. Clair (Fred Moore) Highway this fall. During the winter, all lanes will be open to traffic in each direction. Work will resume in April 2009, when crews shift both directions of I-94 to the newly rebuilt westbound lanes, in order to reconstruct the eastbound side of the freeway. This portion of the project will last through July of 2009.
The project will be completed in early August of 2009. In addition to the complete pavement reconstruction, the project includes necessary upgrades to freeway drainage systems, a new guardrail, and sign replacement.
Wayne County
Rehabilitation of the M-153 (Ford Road) and Evergreen Road interchange will start in mid-August. Once the project is underway, Evergreen Road will be reduced to a single lane in each direction, and will remain in that configuration for the duration of the work. Ford Road will be reduced to two lanes in each direction, with complete closures on two occasions for the demolition of the Evergreen Road bridge over Ford Road. During the closures, traffic will be detoured to Evergreen Road back to Ford Road, using both existing and temporary ramps. These closures will be restricted to off-peak periods.
This project is scheduled to be completed in July of 2009, and will include bridge deck replacement and substructure rehabilitation to the Evergreen Road Bridge over Ford Road. In addition, six entrance and exit ramps will be reconstructed with concrete pavement, in conjunction with geometric and traffic signal safety upgrades.
Macomb County
In early September, crews will begin an extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction project on Mound Road at the I-696 interchange. This project includes rehabilitating 22 structures over I-696 between 11 Mile Road and Fairfield Avenue. The work will require around-the-clock shoulder closures on I-696, with lane restrictions and freeway closures for bridge demolition. Total closures on I-696 will be limited to nights and weekends. Similar lane restrictions will be incorporated on both directions of Mound, Ryan and 11 Mile roads; single lane closures will be permitted during off-peak hours on weekdays and allowed at anytime on weekends. Double lane closures will limited to nights and weekends. In addition, total road closures will be permitted on Sherwood Avenue, Frazho Road, El Captian Drive and the eastbound 11 Mile Service Drive bridges over I-696, to allow crews to perform bridge demolition. Detours will be posted during all total closures.
The expected completion date for this project is fall of 2009. Upon completion, all ramps within the I-696 and Mound Road interchange will have been reconstructed. In addition, all bridges from 11 Mile Road to Fairfield Avenue will have new decks and extensive substructure rehabilitation. Safety upgrades will also be installed, including improvements to drainage systems and the replacement of shoulder lighting systems in conjunction with sign replacement.
Oakland County
A sign upgrade project along the I-75 corridor in Oakland County, between the Wayne County and Genesee County lines, will also begin in early September. Signs along I-75 will be replaced, including necessary beam structures that hold the signs in place. Lane closures for the sign upgrade project will be limited to off-peak hours, with multiple lane closures restricted to nights and weekends. When possible, MDOT will coordinate these upgrades with lane closures already in place for other projects. All work preformed on I-75 north of M-59 will be coordinated with events at The Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Energy Music Theater to ease traffic congestion. Intermittent total closures, lasting approximately 15 minutes, are necessary to set cantilever and truss beams to fit distance requirements for new signs. Total closures will be restricted to nights and weekends.
Work is scheduled to be completed in early September 2009. The necessary work is being done to upgrade the signs on this corridor to Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards for reflectivity, distance and sign legends. Signs are normally replaced every 15-20 years on a corridor basis, to update them to current standards.
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45! -A message from MDOT and Michigan's Give 'em a Brake Safety Coalition
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