An extensive improvement project is coming to M-59 in Oakland County, slated to start on Tuesday, and is expected to stretch until this fall. As reported by ClickOnDetroit, the $8 million initiative will resurface nearly 10 miles of road between Milford Road and Pontiac Lake Road in Highland and White Lake townships. Michigan residents should prepare for single-lane closures as workers embark on guardrail replacement, new pavement markings, and sidewalk upgrades for ADA compliance.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer emphasized the project's broader intentions, stating, per ClickOnDetroit, "Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to grow our economy, helping Michiganders go to work, drop their kids off at school and run errands safely." These remarks were echoed in The Detroit News, where Whitmer added, "By the end of this construction season, we will have fixed, repaired or replaced nearly 24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges, supporting thousands of good-paying, local jobs without raising taxes by a dime." Crews will start the work at the western end of the roadway and move east in segments throughout the summer and fall.
According to numbers provided by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and cited by The Detroit News, the affected stretch near Milford Road sees over 15,000 vehicles a day, with traffic doubling at Duck Lake Road. Despite the anticipated disruptions, officials assure that the project, expected to be completed in November, is a necessary step in improving transportation and bolstering economic growth.
On the job front, an economic model suggests that the project will support both directly and indirectly 76 jobs, as mentioned by the Michigan Department of Transportation. Detailed information about the project is accessible for those interested at www.DrivingOakland.com. Launching the endeavor, crews prepared to begin resurfacing between Milford Road and Duck Lake Road starting at 7 a.m. today, with the rest of the work marching steadily east into the colder months.
