Plenty of Detroit area freeway closures to watch this weekend

Major freeway closures in Metro Detroit might make traveling a little tricky this weekend. As the winter comes to an end and construction season begins, the I-75 Modernization Project is kicking back into gear.

Starting 11 p.m. Friday, I-75 will close in both directions from I-696 to 8 Mile Road so crews can demolish the Shevlin Avenue and Highland Avenue bridges over the freeway in Hazel Park.

MDOT will start shutting down ramps around 9 p.m. and start closing lanes at 10 p.m. That means all ramps to northbound I-75 from the Davison Freeway to 9 Mile, and all southbound I-75 ramps from 14 Mile to 9 Mile.

So how to get around it -- northbound I-75 traffic will head west on 8 Mile to northbound Woodward, then take I-696 eastbound back to northbound I-75.

Southbound I-75 drivers can take westbound I-696 to southbound Woodward, then take 8 Mile east back to I-75. Keep your eyes peeled for detour signs.
On top of those closures, I-75 will be down to one lane between I-696 and 14 Mile in both directions over the weekend.

I-75 is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday but will be down to two lanes between 8 Mile and 13 Mile in both directions. That means you could see some delays in your Monday morning commute.

Then a second total freeway closure could give you some issues. Starting at 9 p.m. Friday, I-94 is closing in both directions between I-75 and Conner. Crews will be demolishing the Frontenac Street overpass above I-94 in Detroit.

All entrance ramps to westbound I-94 from Chalmers to Chene will start closing around 7 p.m.

Westbound traffic will be rerouted to 8 Mile Road, southbound Gratiot, then use the westbound Gratiot connector to northbound I-75 to get back to westbound I-94. Eastbound traffic will head southbound on I-75 to the eastbound Gratiot Connector, then head north on Gratiot, east on 8 Mile, and back to eastbound I-94.

All lanes of I-94 are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday morning.

One last note, some I-75 ramps will stay closed after this weekend until the end of construction season, around mid-November. These include eastbound and westbound I-696 ramps to southbound I-75 and all ramps along southbound I-75 from south of I-696 to Eight Mile Road.

For more traffic information including a real-time map go to fox2detroit.com/traffic