Motorists in Oakland County are bracing for a major inconvenience as I-696 undergoes significant closures over the upcoming weekend. The closure, which is part of the ongoing "Restore the Reuther" project, is set to disrupt traffic patterns and lead to detours that will impact countless commuters.
According to ClickOnDetroit, eastbound I-696 will be whittled down to two lanes between M-10 (Northwestern Highway) and Lahser Road from 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. tomorrow, March 9, for the removal of pavement markings. The following day, Sunday, March 10, the same stretch will completely close from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. to facilitate a traffic shift onto the left lane and outside shoulder, to make room for subsequent paving operations.
Ramp closures include the northbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) to eastbound I-696 and the southbound M-10 ramp to eastbound I-696. MDOT has curated alternate routes to shepherd eastbound traffic onto adjacent thoroughfares – motorists will be rerouted via southbound M-10 to northbound Lahser Road, then back onto eastbound I-696.
Additional details provided by Patch explain Northbound US-24 and southbound M-10 travelers will be detoured via northbound Lahser Road, then connected back to their intended eastbound I-696 path. Meanwhile, an Inkster Road section, conveying traffic between 11 Mile and 12 Mile Roads was already shut down earlier this month and, will continue to be sealed off through March 18 as part of the same infrastructure upgrade initiative.
The "Restore the Reuther" project, which has been stationed at a daunting $275 million price tag, includes a full reconstruction of the roadway from its foundational layers, incorporating storm sewer replacements and ramp reconstructions at multiple junctions such as Orchard Lake Road, American Drive, and Telegraph Road. As Hoodline Detroit documents, the strategy has funneled drivers into preset detours with the aim of minimizing the disruption caused by the vast improvement works – suggesting a bitter pill of delay and redirection, that promises smoother rides on future horizons.
