The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin a traffic shift on eastbound I-96 to the westbound side at Grand River Avenue starting Monday, March 2, in Livingston County. This change is part of a $41 million project to rebuild the I-96/Grand River Avenue interchange as a diverging diamond interchange.
Lane closures are planned for both directions of I-96 at Grand River Avenue. In addition, the eastbound Grand River Avenue entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed. The work includes replacing three structures: the Ore Creek culvert under I-96 and two bridges over Grand River Avenue.
According to MDOT, “Closing the lanes will ensure the safety of workers and motorists. A DDI is an alternative interchange design that improves safety, increases traffic flow and reduces construction cost. There are fewer conflict points in a DDI compared to a conventional interchange (14 versus 26), with better sight distance at turns.”
The lane closure on I-96 in each direction at Grand River Avenue will last from 7 a.m. Monday, March 2, until 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15. The shift moving eastbound I-96 traffic onto westbound lanes begins at 7 a.m. Saturday, March 7, continuing through November 15.
The closure of the eastbound Grand River Avenue entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 starts Saturday, March 7, also ending November 15. Drivers will be detoured using Hilton Road, Old US-23 and Spencer Road before rejoining eastbound I-96.
MDOT manages nearly 10,000 miles of state highways and more than 4,800 bridges throughout Michigan (official website). The department employs over 2,800 people across seven regions and maintains facilities statewide (official website). Its responsibilities include maintaining state highway systems such as M-, I-, and US-routes along with overseeing bridge maintenance and transportation infrastructure like railroads and airports (official website).
MDOT’s mission is centered on serving communities and supporting Michigan’s economy through its transportation efforts (official website). Leadership includes a director along with key executives managing administrative operations (official website).
