Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


More closures and delays can be expected on two busy freeways this weekend.

The Michigan Department of Transportation advises that the I-696 “Restore the Reuther” project and the I-96 Flex Route project require major repairs on the westbound side of both freeways.

Beginning at 8pm tonight and lasting through 5am Monday, westbound I-696 will be closed from US-24 (Telegraph Road) to I-275 for pavement repair work. Various ramps will also be closed as part of the westbound I-696 freeway closure.

On Saturday from 4am to 7pm, westbound I-96 will continue the westbound closure from I-275 to Beck Road.

As part of that work, the southbound and northbound Novi Road ramps to westbound I-96 will be closed. The southbound M-5 ramp to westbound I-96 and the northbound I-275 ramp to westbound I-96 will also be closed.

MDOT advises the ramps will be closed beginning at 4am and will reopen as work is completed – cautioning that some ramps may re-open early Saturday and others later in the day.

As for detours, MDOT says westbound I-696 traffic will be detoured on southbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) to westbound M-102 (8 Mile Road) to northbound M-5 to westbound 12 Mile Road to southbound Novi Road, then to westbound I-96.

When the ramp from southbound Novi Road to westbound I-96 is closed, MDOT says detoured traffic will continue west on 12 Mile Road to southbound Beck Road, then to westbound I-96.

Complete information about both projects is available in the provided link.