I-696 closed for downed power lines in Oakland County

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

A traffic nightmare on I-696 gets even worse

Around 4 p.m. on Monday, rush-hour traffic completely stopped after an MDOT vehicle struck a DTE power line, blocking travel across all lanes.

Westbound I-696 in Oakland County is closed due to downed power lines.

The closure is in Ferndale, at the Bermuda Mohawk location. Traffic has been diverted to I-75, which can get back onto I-696 at Woodward Avenue.

Earlier this week, an MDOT vehicle struck a power pole, causing a large backup during rush-hour at the same location.

There is currently no estimate for when the road will reopen.

MDOT vehicle jammed I-696 traffic for hours after hitting DTE power pole

Hundreds of homes without power and thousands of vehicles stuck in traffic, a transit nightmare unfolded in Metro Detroit Monday. "...we could not pick much of a worse time for that to happen," said an MDOT spokesperson.

The Source: Previous reporting and an update from MDOT were cited for this story. 

TrafficFerndale