I-94 rebuild brings lane closures near DTW
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A three-year, $353 million rebuild of I-94 near DTW is underway between Romulus and Dearborn, bringing extended lane reductions to a heavily traveled stretch of highway.
Why it matters: Traffic will be reduced to one or two lanes in each direction on a stretch of I-94 that carries up to 150,000 vehicles daily.
- Construction is scheduled to wrap up in mid-2029.
🚧 The latest: Tree removal has begun in a large median near Ecorse Road in preparation for construction, MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross tells Axios.
- Ramps at the Southfield Freeway interchange will begin closing within the next week.
Driving the news: The lane reductions will likely happen by summer, after asphalt plants open and MDOT completes more prep work, Cross says.
✈️ Access to DTW off I-94 and I-275 will be maintained throughout construction.
State of play: The 13-mile stretch being rebuilt is between I-275 and Michigan Avenue.
- Work includes rebuilding and realigning the roadway, a new interchange at Ecorse Road, concrete repairs, bridge and ramp work, lighting and drainage improvements and intelligent transportation system upgrades.
Zoom in: The most immediate pinch point will be at the I-94/Southfield Freeway interchange, originally built in the 1980s and now undergoing major bridge rehabilitation.
- Most ramps will close in phases, with lane closures on both freeways through this fall and detours via Michigan Avenue and Ford Road.
😖 What they're saying: "Well, it is going to make getting around pretty difficult, that's for sure," Allen Park resident Terry Chaney told WXYZ.
Zoom out: Commuters are also dealing with reduced lanes and construction along I-696.
- Ramp closures at the I-696/I-75 interchange are scheduled to begin Feb. 28 as part of that project, which will continue into 2027.