For the roughly 100,000 drivers impacted by the coming closure of eastbound Interstate 696 in Oakland County, which starts Saturday, get ready for headaches — and figuring out an alternate route.
The interstate will be shut down Saturday for two years between M-10 in Southfield and I-75 near Royal Oak, Hazel Park and Ferndale. Ramps to and from Lahser, Evergreen, Southfield, Greenfield, Coolidge, Woodward, Campbell/Hilton, NB/SB I-75 will also be closed.
To get around the closure, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s detour will take motorists around the construction, about 20 miles south on M-10, or the Lodge Freeway, to the Davison Freeway through Highland Park to northbound I-75 and back to I-696.
MDOT spokeswoman Diane Cross said the exact time of Saturday’s closure is a moving target based on shifting traffic, striping and other steps.
“There’s a lot of steps and a lot of moving parts. We could be done by 10 a.m. Or maybe it takes until 2 p.m.,” she said. “It’s a very moving target when the actual closure of the freeway will happen.”
The closure is part of MDOT’s multi-year $275 million “Restore the Reuther” project. It’s the last of three phases.
Cross acknowledges that the closure is a “big deal” and will be a pain for drivers.
“We all use the same roads,” she said. “… We are all affected by this. But the thing is — the roadway is close to coming to the end of its lifespan. Fortunately, we have the funding to rebuild it.”
Other detours
And while the U-shaped path down M-10 south is the “official” detour, Cross said some drivers will likely choose to use mile roads instead to travel east in Oakland County.
For example, a driver heading from Farmington to Royal Oak, may take 10 Mile or 12 Mile, she said. That’s why drivers should expect heavier traffic on those roads as well, she said.
“Those mile roads — anyone on an eastbound route is going to see heavier traffic starting Saturday,” Cross said. “…We can’t force people to use our detour.”
Michigan Department of Transportation officials estimate nearly 200,000 drivers use the eight-mile portion of the freeway daily that is scheduled to be shut down.
Westbound traffic on I-696 will be maintained throughout the project, MDOT officials said.
In 2026, westbound lanes between Lahser and I-75 also will be rebuilt, but traffic will diverted on to the newly rebuilt eastbound lanes, heading west.
More projects
The next year, crews will perform major road work on I-696 between I-75 and Dequindre Road, including rebuilding the roadway, bridge work, and drainage structures. As part of the project, 60 bridges will be repaired, including the rebuilding of the Church Street Plaza bridge where Victoria Park is located. During that rebuilding, a walkway detour will be in place.
In 2019, the state completed work along the easternmost portion targeted for repairs, from Dequindre to the freeway’s eastern terminus at I-94. In 2023 and 2024, work took place on the western section, from I-275 to Lahser.
Another major MDOT project involves rebuilding M-14 between Sheldon and Newburgh roads, with ramp closures where it connects with Interstate 96. Work on the eastbound lanes will happen this year, and one lane will be open during the construction, according to the project’s website.
Construction on the highway in 2025 is expected to run from March to September and will include bridge work, rebuilding the roadway and reconstructing ramps.
Work on the westbound lanes is expected to start in March 2026 and run through November next year.