If you thought about using the mile roads to work your way around MDOT’s I-696 closure, you may want to think again.
“MDOT’S official detour is long and a big drive, but that might be the path of least resistance,” said Craig Bryson, senior communications manager for the Road Commission for Oakland County.
Bryson says the official detour is the least restrictive option when considering the closures of 10 Mile and 12 Mile roads.
Starting mid-March, the eastbound lanes of 12 Mile Road will be closed until October.
Bryson cautions against getting off EB I-696 at Orchard Lake Road and says drivers should plan to take 12 Mile Road eastbound.
In April, 12 Mile Road, between Northwestern Highway and Telegraph Road, will be reduced to one lane in each direction until August. From mid-April through July, traffic on 10 Mile Road, between Telegraph and Lahser roads, will also be reduced to one lane in each direction.
Those two roads alone see anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 drivers, and they’re expecting even more to hop on to avoid the I-696 closures.
“We’re doing major resurfacing, taking off existing pavement, doing base repairs, and putting down new pavement,” said Bryson, who explained the projects had been pushed back in the past due to MDOT projects but couldn’t be postponed any longer.
Orchard Lake Road, just south of I-696 to 13 Mile Road, will also be closed for resurfacing, which is scheduled for June through November. Then, one more project is slated for the 10 Mile Road culvert. That could start in August but also could be pushed back.
Bryson expects the first few days of the closure to be the trickiest and asks that drivers allow themselves plenty of extra time and that they look out for road crews.