The breakdown:
- All four northbound lanes of Telegraph Road between Pennsylvania and Eureka, plus the I-75 ramp to northbound Telegraph, are closed indefinitely due to a damaged drain pipe and soil erosion.
- MDOT estimates the closure will affect about 30,000 drivers per day.
- The deteriorated pipe allowed water to erode soil beneath the roadway, and crews are still determining the extent of the damage.
- The pipe must be replaced before Telegraph can reopen, with repairs potentially taking a few weeks to several months.
A busy stretch of northbound Telegraph Road in Taylor is closed indefinitely after crews discovered a disintegrated drain pipe beneath the pavement, eroding the soil underneath the road.
The closure affects all four northbound lanes of Telegraph Road between Pennsylvania and Eureka Road, as well as the northbound ramp connecting I-75 and Telegraph Road. The Michigan Department of Transportation estimates the closure will impact around 30,000 drivers per day.
Previous coverage --> Stretch of Telegraph to close near I-75 due to sinkhole -- what drivers need to know
Crews were preparing to mill a portion of Telegraph Road when they made the discovery. Diane Cross, a communications representative for MDOT, said the extent of the erosion is still unknown.
“The drain, which normally moves the water underneath the roadway, has disintegrated at some point, which means we don’t know for how long the water that would normally be in the pipe has been eroding the soil underneath the roadway,” Cross said.
Taylor residents feel impact
The closure will disrupt daily routines for many Taylor residents who rely on that stretch of Telegraph Road.
“This is one of the main streets, this is really a main street for everybody,” said Tamya Knott.
“That is a shocker to me. I take this way all the time to go to work and to get to my park, so it’s a lot,” Cody Brianna-Pope said.
With no clear estimate of how long repairs will take, residents say they’ll have to adjust their schedules to account for longer commutes.
“I’m unfortunately used to it,” said Andy Martin. “It happens quite frequently over here with the road repairs. It’s just a lot of traffic buildup. It’s not good for anyone.”
When will the repairs be completed?
MDOT has not announced a timeline for reopening the road. Crews will need to replace the pipe before the road can reopen, a process that could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the extent of the damage.
