OAK PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — To get the Oakland County community prepared for the massive I-696 construction project that will affect the interstate from Lahser Road to I-75, the Michigan Department of Transportation hosted an informational meeting in Oak Park Tuesday.
Residents showed up in droves with questions and concerns.
“It’s going to affect me for the next two years. I take that road all the time, almost on a daily basis," Oak Park resident Sandra Gross said.
MDOT construction engineers and planners were in attendance at Temple Emanu-El on W. 10 Mile Road to help answer questions.
“Starting March 1, we are detouring Eastbound 696 for two straight years. Obviously, that’s going to be very impactful to motorists," MDOT construction engineer Brian Travis said. “This pavement is almost 40 years old, so it’s time that it’s addressed. We pour a lot of money into this year after year trying to maintain it.”
MDOT clarified that both sides of the interstate will be fixed, but I-696 is not shutting down completely. Westbound drivers will always be able to get through, regardless of which side of the freeway MDOT crews are working on. However, when it comes to Eastbound drivers, a lengthy detour that goes all the way down to Highland Park awaits.
"I will never take that detour — that is completely inconvenient," Gross said. "I will be taking the mile roads.”
Gross is not the only resident saying they will skip out on the official detour. If the official detour is not taken, the mile roads around I-696 will become congested, which puts residents that live along there, like Tony Gibbs, right in the cross hairs of the expected traffic.
“It’s necessary — I think that. But also I don’t think it was well thought out as far as all of the surrounding communities," said Gibbs, who lives right on 9 Mile Road. "It’s gonna be a congestion nightmare for the residents of Oak Park.”
Entry and exit ramps and 60 bridges will also be redone, including the Church Street Plaza Bridge, where icicles have been a long-standing problem.
MDOT is now asking for patience, saying this is the last massive I-696 project in a long time.
“It’s the last stretch of 696 and this will be it for a lot of years, so we’re really excited about that," MDOT design project manager Kim Colburn said. “This is coming, it is a big impact, plan ahead.”
Crews have already started markings and measurements, but the official start day of the project with closures is March 1.
