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Construction Begins On Ford Road, One Of Michigan's Most Dangerous Thoroughfares

CANTON (WWJ) - Officials in metro Detroit are hoping a $9 million construction project will help relieve some traffic congestion near one of the most dangerous intersections in the state.

Work has already started to remove some of the pressure along Ford Road near I-275, especially around the IKEA furniture store, which sees upwards of 50,000 passing vehicles each day.

Nearby residents like Zach Thomas say they try to avoid driving on Ford Road at all costs.

"I've lived over here for about 10 years and you can never drive around," Thomas told WWJ's Ron Dewey. "On Saturday and Sunday, you're better off taking Warren or Cherry Hill to avoid driving on this road. It seems like you're living in L.A. sometimes, seriously."

The traffic congestion is particularly bad at the Haggerty Road intersection -- which has the highest average number of crashes in the state over the last five years.

The largest part of the project is the reconstruction and paving of Lotz Road, a rutted dirt road on the east side of the I-275/Ford Road interchange.

Citizens can learn more about the upcoming road work at an MDOT open house on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Canton's Summit on the Park, located at 46000 Summit Parkway. The public is invited to provide their opinions and input on the project.

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