(WWJ) - After months of headaches for commuters, crews have started the process of reopening I-75 in Oakland County.
However, MDOT is reminding drivers to pack their patience as traffic delays will exist through the end of the year.
Crews need to remove roughly 9 miles of temporary concrete barrier wall off the southbound lanes and restripe the freeway before fully opening travel lanes and ramps. To safely complete this work, southbound I-75 will be reduced to one lane until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. At that time, all exit and entrance ramps on both sides of the freeway will open to traffic.
Currently, both directions of I-75 are sharing the southbound side of the freeway, separated by a temporary concrete barrier between 13 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway. Two lanes are open in each direction.
MDOT was expected to switch northbound I-75 traffic to new pavement in November, but that was delayed after crews used an incorrect concrete mix on portions of the freeway from 13 Mile to Coolidge. It was then scheduled to clear before Christmas on Dec. 23, but MDOT made the decision to delay the opening yet again due to holiday traffic.
This $224 million project involves reconstructing more than 8 miles of pavement in each direction, improving 18 structures, upgrading drainage, constructing community-developed aesthetics and federally approved noise walls, and continuing construction of an additional travel lane between Coolidge Highway and 13 Mile Road.