Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The wintry weather is affecting work on the I-96 Flex Route project – with scheduled lane closures being moved to this weekend and Monday in Oakland County.

MDOT contract crews will be rebuilding the westbound side of I-96 as part of the Flex Route project in Oakland County this year, with prep work beginning Saturday, March 23rd through fall. By mid-April, traffic will be reduced to two lanes in each direction with traffic shifted to share the eastbound side. There will also be numerous ramp closures.

MDOT advises the following:


Eastbound I-96 from Kent Lake Road to I-275

•Eastbound I-96 will be reduced to one lane at Kent Lake Road for pavement repair from 5 a.m. Saturday, March 23 - noon Sunday, March 24. The northbound Kent Lake Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 will also be closed.

•The southbound Kent Lake Road ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed 5 a.m. Saturday, March 23 - noon Thursday, March 28, and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Milford Road to eastbound I-96.

•Eastbound I-96 will have two lanes open from Kent Lake Road to I-275 for lane marking removal 5 - 9 a.m. Sunday, March 24 (this work is weather dependent).

•Eastbound I-96 will have one lane open from Kent Lake Road to I-275 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday, March 25.

•The Beck Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed 9 a.m. Monday, March 25, until early fall and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Novi Road to eastbound I-96.


Eastbound I-96 from Milford Road to Novi Road

•Closed 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 6, and detoured via Milford Road, eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Novi Road to Eastbound I-96.
Westbound I-96 from I-275 to Kent Lake Road

•Will be reduced to two lanes in mid-April with numerous ramp closures through early fall:

-The southbound M-5 ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via southbound M-5, eastbound Grand River Avenue, and northbound M-5 to westbound I-96.

-The northbound and southbound Novi Road ramps to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via westbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Beck Road to westbound I-96.

-The westbound I-96 ramp to Novi Road will be closed. I-696 and M-5 traffic will use northbound M-5 to westbound 12 Mile Road to reach Novi Road (this will affect westbound I-696/I-96 traffic to Novi Road, as well as northbound M-5/I-96 to Novi Road).

The northbound I-275/I-96 ramp to Novi Road will be open.

-The westbound I-96 ramp to Wixom Road will be closed through mid-May and detoured via westbound I-96, southbound Beck Road, and westbound Grand River Avenue to Wixom Road.

-The Wixom Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed through mid-May and detoured via eastbound Grand River Avenue and northbound Beck Road to westbound I-96.

-The westbound I-96 ramps to northbound and southbound Milford Road will be closed and detoured via westbound I-96, southbound Kent Lake Road, and eastbound Grand River Avenue to Milford Road.

-The Milford Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed and detoured via southbound Milford Road, westbound Grand River Avenue, and northbound Kent Lake Road to westbound I-96.