Mile-long stretch of I-94 dubbed 'world's most sophisticated highway' to reopen for winter
BELLEVILLE, Mich. (FOX 2) - After months of work on a mile-long strip of I-94 that will become the testing ground for new mobility technology, construction will end for winter and the lane will reopen for drivers.
The westbound I-94 lane stretches from Belleville to Rawsonville roads in Wayne County and will include new pavement markings and dividers. For any drivers that use the lane, they won't be able to access the nearby rest area of exit lane to Belleville Road due to the dividers.
Once complete, the connected and automated vehicles (CAV) lane will be used by the transportation department, mobility company Cavnue, and other partners to test improving safety with a "combination of digital and physical infrastructure," according to MDOT.
It's not the end of construction and more closures are expected next year.
From Dec. 22 to mid-January, the lane will be open to drivers before additional work along the shoulder will continue. Further surface treatment will be applied later in spring of 2024.
Once in operation, testing along the corridor will commence during off-peak hours. The pilot project's intention is to enhance safety and performance for automated cars, testing how the sending and receiving of information can improve driving.
Roadwork to transform I-94 into 'world's most sophisticated highway' begins Monday
A project between Ann Arbor and Detroit seeks to outfit the highway with digital infrastructure, essentially turning it into a smart freeway.
Vehicles being built today have varying levels of connectivity that enable them to communicate with outside sources.
Motorists will be notified by highway signage if the lane is closed for testing.
A news release from MDOT says the agency is currently working on an environmental assessment of the entire 39-mile corridor that stretches between Detroit to Ann Arbor. The public can submit their comments on the project here.