MDOT Surveys Motorists on I-275 Construction Options

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The Michigan Department of Transportation is seeking feedback from residents about a massive reconstruction project for Interstate 275 that will affect traffic in Wayne and Oakland counties for a year or more.

To offer your opinions, go to the online survey that should be available for the next week.

MDOT said the road surface between Five Mile road and the I-96/I-696 is in poor shape and needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Concrete will be removed and replaced on each side of the road, all interchange ramps will be addressed, along with 16 bridges.

MDOT did extensive analysis and evaluated 22 possible road closure configurations, detours, ramps, etc., and narrowed it to three options; with lane closures and costs for traffic control (barrels, barriers, signs, manpower, etc.). The longer time frame is more expensive than the shorter time frame as it requires more traffic control devices (drums, barrels, etc.) adding to costs.

Here are the options MDOT is proposing.

Option 1: One direction of I-275 will close completely, have traffic detoured, and the work performed. Once one direction is completed, the opposite direction will close. This will take one construction season at a cost of $ 1.04 million to the project.

Option 2: One direction of I-275 will remain open the entire time, with traffic shifted as work is performed, and the other direction is detoured for the entire project. This will take two construction seasons at a cost of $ 2.87 million to the project.

Option 3: Both directions of traffic will share one direction of I-275 separated by barrier wall. This will take two construction seasons at a cost of $ 4.85 million to the project.