MDOT to Resume Work on Major I-94 Construction Project

By Jonathan Kleyer

With the spring thaw over, the Michigan Department of Transportation will be starting to work on roads again. In particular, the department has announced that it will resume work on the I-94 project, at Westnedge Avenue, the week of April 5th.

The project began last year, with $43.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The project is not expected to be completed until next year.

Though the project plan only calls for the reconstruction of two miles of I-94, those two miles will see a lot of work.

Last year, the project focused mostly on making improvements to the existing roadway as a way of leading into the major reconstruction of the South Westnedge Avenue interchange plan-ned for this year. Work also began on the bridge carrying I-94 over the Grand Elk Railroad and Portage Creek, necessitating the closure of a segment of the Portage Bicentennial Park Trail Way that passes by the bridge. The work took place using nighttime lane closures.

MDOT Communications Representative, Nick Schirripa, reported that contractors have already begun to mobilize equipment and material this week, as well as setting up message boards and traffic signs for the work beginning next week.

According to Schirripa, the bridge work that began last year will continue, meaning that the Bicentennial Park Trail Way will be closed again this year. More bridge work begins this year as MDOT will begin working on the bridge over South Westnedge Avenue. Temporary pavement and concrete barrier walls will be placed as bridge work continues.

Work will also resume on the building of screening walls in all areas near I-94 and Westnedge Avenue.

When the project is finished next year, MDOT plans to have:

• Widened I-94 from four to six lanes, three lanes in each direction.
• Reconstructed the Westnedge Avenue interchange with a more efficient Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) design.
• Installed a new traffic signal on South Westnedge Avenue.
• Widened approximately 1,600 feet of South Westnedge Avenue to accommodate the new interchange and remove the traffic bottleneck posed by the existing bridge carrying I-94 traffic over South Westnedge Avenue.
• Rebuilt four bridges.
• Provided screening walls.
• Upgraded existing freeway signing.
• Completed construction of two new retention basins to improve water quality discharged to the west branch of Portage Creek.

Traffic Impact
According to Schirripa, drivers can expect lane and ramp closures to begin

April 5th at these areas:
Westnedge Ave. will have off-peak lane closures to perform prep. work for the demolition of the I-94/Westnedge Bridge. No closures on Westnedge Ave. are needed at this time but will be needed later in the month of April for the demolition of the bridge.

Westbound I-94 to Southbound Westnedge Ave. Ramp will be closed and detoured the week of April 5th. This ramp will be closed until November 2010.

Eastbound I-94 to Southbound Westnedge Ave. Ramp will be closed and detoured the week of April 5th. This ramp will be closed until November 2010.

Eastbound I-94 to Northbound Westnedge Ave. Ramp will be closed and detoured the week of April 5th. This ramp will be closed until November 2011.

Northbound West-nedge Ave. to Eastbound I-94 Ramp will be closed and detoured the week of April 5th. This ramp will be closed until November 2010.

Southbound West-nedge Ave. to Eastbound I-94 Ramp will be closed and detoured the week of April 5th. This ramp will be closed until November 2010.

Northbound West-nedge Ave. to Westbound I-94 Ramp will remain open for the construction season.

Southbound West-nedge Ave. to Westbound I-94 Ramp will remain open for the construction season.

Westbound I-94 to Northbound Westnedge Ave. Ramp will remain open for the construction season.