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How about some Woodward Dream Cruise to go along with your I-75 construction. Here's your detours

Published  August 12, 2019 6:59pm EDT
News
FOX 2 Detroit

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DETROIT (FOX 2) - Oh, you're tired of I-75's construction? How about a little Woodward Dream Cruise to go along with your detour diet?

Several major ramps are under construction for phase three of the I-75 headache that has plagued commuters this 2019. But officials say the work is badly needed. Think back to 2014 for a reminder.

"We had over 10 feet of water. I remember people's homes were being flooded, streets were flooded," said Rob Morosi, with MDOT. 

The modernization of the metro area's Interstate will address future flooding possibilities with a fix to the drainage issue. However, that remedy is coming later which means until then any more flooding could be a potential problem for construction crews.

"The worst thing that could happen is we lose power to those systems," Morosi said. "That involves getting a generator there. By the time the generator is brought in and hooked up, we could have several inches of water on the roadway."

With fingers crossed, construction has been focused toward several ramps on and off the highway between 8 Mile and 13 Mile. Those include:

  • The westbound I-696 ramp to southbound I-75
  • The southbound I-75 exits to 8 Mile and 9 Mile
  • The 9 Mile entrance ramp to southbound I-75
  • The southbound I-75 exit to 9 Mile

Those four bullets have the most important information for I-75 commuters. Any who dare to wade into the orange traffic cone minefield have been warned.

"I take 75 going north every day to get here," said Abdo Shuawat, who works off the highway. "But today, this morning was too busy."

RELATED STORY: Phase 3 of I-75 construction starts, bringing 5-mile stretch of lane closure

You might think that batch of busy will only increase with the annual car show this weekend. But Morosi said most of the Woodward Dream Cruise will happen north of much of the construction.

"If people use 696, get off at Woodward and head south. Most of the dream cruise activity is north of 696," he said. "Not all of it, but most of it. So there's that as well."