Ongoing construction at the intersection of Brown Road and Joslyn Road in northeastern Oakland County has been frustrating local commuters, with the Road Commission for Oakland County confirming that the closure will extend until after Labor Day due to safety concerns with railway repairs. ClickOnDetroit reports that the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) is working alongside Canadian National (CN) paving contractors to ensure the tracks are safe for vehicles to cross, a necessity given the railroad's dominance over local roadways governed by unyielding federal laws and the RCOC's lack of authority over the railroad's operations.
As travelers navigate around the closed intersection, which lies near major shopping destinations, the The Oakland Press notes the only access to popular stores such as Costco and neighboring Target and Meijer is from Baldwin Road; this rerouting has caused backups extending onto northbound I-75, complicating the already heavy traffic in the area, a situation further aggravated by the rising tensions reflected in a road rage incident that culminated at a Meijer store last week.
In an effort to alleviate congestion during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar announced that most RCOC road construction projects will be suspended beginning 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, throughout the Labor Day weekend, as detailed in a statement released on the Road Commission for Oakland County website. The halting of construction for the holiday excludes certain roads, which will remain closed due to other unavoidable construction activities.
