Phase 2 Of I-75 Construction Begins Friday: What To Know

MICHIGAN (CBS DETROIT) - The process of switching northbound I-75 traffic to its pre-construction configuration began at 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 27.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, Dec. 31, it is expected that northbound I-75 traffic will be using the new northbound pavement with three lanes open except for a 1-mile stretch from Big Beaver to Wattles roads, where only two lanes will be open due to the ongoing construction of a noise wall through the winter months. Northbound exit ramps are expected to open as work progresses.

Additionally, southbound I-75 will be reduced to one lane starting at 7 a.m. on Friday to continue the process to have all southbound lanes and ramps open by the end of the calendar year.

Crews need to remove roughly 9 miles of temporary concrete barrier wall off the southbound lanes and restripe the freeway before fully opening travel lanes and ramps. To safely complete this work, southbound I-75 will have one lane open until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31.

At that time, all exit and entrance ramps on both sides of the freeway will open to traffic.

Currently, both directions of I-75 are sharing the southbound side of the freeway, separated by a temporary concrete barrier between 13 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway. Two lanes are open in each direction.

This $224 million project involves reconstructing more than 8 miles of pavement in each direction, improving 18 structures, upgrading drainage, constructing community-developed aesthetics and federally approved noise walls, and continuing construction of an additional travel lane between Coolidge Highway and 13 Mile Road.

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