Motorists in Oakland County are facing detours and delays as a vital section of Inkster Road shuts down. The closure, spanning from 11 Mile to 12 Mile Roads, began on March 4 and will barricade the way through March 18. The shutdown is part of the "I-696 Restore the Reuther" project, a sizable overhaul of the aging freeway that commands the attention and patience of local commuters.
According to ClickOnDetroit, the closure of Inkster Road is a critical component of the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) ongoing efforts to reconstruct I-696. This $275 million endeavor aims to rebuild the roads from their foundation, including the replacement of storm sewers and the reconstruction of multiple ramps like those at Orchard Lake Road, American Drive, and Telegraph Road. In the tempest of construction, drivers are being funneled into detour routes — northbound travelers on Inkster Road are directed to westbound 11 Mile, then to northbound Middle Belt, and back to eastbound 12 Mile Road to continue on Inkster.
Southfield drivers are not the only ones grappling with alternate paths. The ramp from southbound Telegraph to southbound Northwestern Highway is also in shutdown mode from March 5 until March 26, as reported by Fox 2 Detroit. Those aiming to follow this route will need to navigate a detour to northbound Northwestern, make use of a crossover, and then head back south on Northwestern.
The westbound portion of I-696 is under transformation from just east of Telegraph Road to I-275, with traffic consolidated onto the eastbound side which, at least, was refurbished last year. Patch adds that local traffic can sneak up to the I-696 bridge and a shoulder closure will linger through early May, overseeing the corridor of Inkster Road's partial somnolence.
