Huge year-long construction project to kick off next week

Michigan transportation officials are warning drivers to expect serious delays when a massive construction project kicks off next week.

Starting on Monday, March 4, crews will begin work on an eight-mile stretch of I-75 between Coolidge Highway and 13 Mile Road in metro Detroit. Crews will be working on “improving 18 structures, upgrading drainage, constructing community-developed aesthetics and federally approved noise walls, and continuing construction of the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane”, according to a news release from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

When the project begins, all traffic on I-75 will start to be shifted to the southbound lanes of the interstate. The traffic shift to the southbound lanes is expected to be complete by mid March.

The project is expected to result in major traffic delays, transportation officials warn.

The shift of all traffic onto southbound I-75 will remain in place until November 2019 when all lanes of I-75 will reopen. Then, early in 2020, all I-75 traffic will be shifted into the northbound lanes of the interstate.

The entire eight mile section I-75 construction project is set to be completed by November of 2020.

This is the second phase of larger project to modernize and rebuild 18 miles of I-75 in the Detroit area. The cost of the total construction project is $944 million.

You can follow Modernize 75 on Facebook to keep up to date on the latest project news.