EB I-696 total closure starts soon in Oakland County -- What to expect over next 2 years
Final phase of I-696 work to begin in March
The final phase of the I-696 project is set to kick off in March. All eastbound and westbound lanes between Laser and I-75 will be shut down for two years.
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The final phase of a project to rebuild I-696 in Oakland County begins soon, and it's going to make getting around the area a pain for the next two years.
On Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Transportation hosted an open house to brief people on what they can expect when the eastbound side of the road closes on March 1.
I-696 closing soon
The backstory:
The first phase of the Restore the Reuther project involved closures on I-696 from I-275 to Lahser. That phase has wrapped up, so the project now shifts east for phase two.
From early March until 2027, crews will be completely reconstructing the pavement of both sides of I-696 from Lasher to I-75. The project will also include wall and drainage repairs, along with the rehabbing of 60 bridges.
Brian Travis, an MDOT construction engineer, said the work will involve completely rebuilding the tunnel on the freeway. This will entail removing the beams and deck and replacing them with new ones.
Additionally, the Church Street Plaza bridge will be rebuilt.

Timeline:
The eastbound side of the freeway will be reconstructed in 2025, while the westbound side will be the focus in 2026.
Both years will involve work on the Church Street Plaza bridge and bridge repairs along the entire stretch of road.
The project will wrap up in 2027, with crews finishing median reconstruction, bridge repairs, pavement work, and ramp reconstruction. There will be major roadwork completed between I-75 and Dequindre during this time, MDOT said.
I-696 Detour:
While the eastbound side of the freeway is rebuilt, traffic will be detoured from 696 to the southbound Lodge Freeway to eastbound Davison Highway to northbound I-75 then back up to 696.
What they're saying:
During MDOT's public meeting Tuesday, some residents expressed concerns about the traffic that could be created by the closed freeway.
Connie Mays, a Royal Oak resident who lives about a block away from the freeway, noted that she is worried about people cutting through neighborhoods like they do during big events.
"I'm just concerned about all the cut-throughs that happen all the time due to traffic, rush hour, Dream Cruise, Arts, Beats, and Eats," she said. "With the closing of the expressway, I'm just kind of wondering how much more I'm going to be impacted by that."
Though the project may cause headaches, Mays said she's trying to be positive about the necessary project.
Others aren't very happy about how long the freeway will be closed. One person who attended Tuesday's event said he feels the timeline is too long.
"I think it is way too long. Two years is ridiculous," the concerned resident said.
Travis said one side of the freeway has to be closed completely because it would be difficult for first responders to get to a crash if one side of the freeway were to be open for both directions of travel.
"It's really a safety concern for us," he said. "This is the safest and most efficient way to build the project."