(WWJ) — Another long-term road construction project in Metro Detroit is about to get underway.
MDOT crews will begin preparation for the I-96 flex route project in Oakland County starting next week. The freeway will eventually go down to two lanes in each direction, shifted to the eastbound side, in early April.
The construction is expected to last until early fall, beginning with this prep work:
Eastbound I-96 from Kent Lake Road to I-275
• Daily lane closures 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22.
• Reduced to one lane with intermittent ramp closures 5 a.m. Saturday, March 23 until 5 p.m. Sunday, March 24.
• Reduced to two lanes 5 p.m. Sunday, March 24 until early fall.
• The southbound Kent Lake Road ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed 5 a.m. Saturday, March 23 until 9 a.m. Thursday, March 28, and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Milford Road to eastbound I-96.
• The Beck Road ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed 5 p.m. Sunday, March 24, until early fall and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Novi Road to eastbound I-96.
Eastbound I-96 from Milford Road to Novi Road
• Closed 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 6, and detoured via Milford Road, eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Novi Road to Eastbound I-96.
Westbound I-96 from I-275 to Kent Lake Road
• Will be reduced to two lanes in mid-April with numerous ramp closures through early fall:
• The southbound M-5 ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via southbound M-5, eastbound Grand River Avenue, and northbound M-5 to westbound I-96.
• The northbound and southbound Novi Road ramps to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via westbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Beck Road to westbound I-96.
• The westbound I-96 ramp to Novi Road will be closed. I-696 and M-5 traffic will use northbound M-5 to westbound 12 Mile Road to reach Novi Road (this will affect westbound I-696/I-96 traffic to Novi Road, as well as northbound M-5/I-96 to Novi Road).
• The northbound I-275/I-96 ramp to Novi Road will be open.
• The westbound I-96 ramp to Wixom Road will be closed through mid-May and detoured via westbound I-96, southbound Beck Road, and westbound Grand River Avenue to Wixom Road.
• The Wixom Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed through mid-May and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Beck Road to westbound I-96.
• The westbound I-96 ramps to northbound and southbound Milford Road will be closed and detoured via westbound I-96, southbound Kent Lake Road, and eastbound Grand River Avenue to Milford Road.
• The Milford Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via southbound Milford Road, westbound Grand River Avenue, and northbound Kent Lake Road to westbound I-96.
Funding for the I-96 flex route project is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges.





