Lanes Closing On I-75 In Oakland County: Here's What To Know

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — Crews will be closing lanes daily on a section of Interstate 75 in Oakland County to install lane markings and signs for new carpool lanes, officials said.

The daily closures will begin Monday, Oct. 16, and be on both sides of the freeway from 12 Mile Road to South Boulevard. The lanes will only be closed during daylight hours, officials said.

The carpool lanes, which will be Michigan's first, are expected to open by the end of October, officials said.

"Opening these HOV lanes continues MDOT’s commitment to modernizing our high-volume freeways," State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. "Similar to the Flex Routes on US-23 and I-96, the HOV lanes will improve mobility and make I-75 travel safer."

Once the carpool lanes open, any vehicle with more than one person would be allowed to use the designated lane from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, according to the legislation.

Emergency vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, buses and motorcycles will be exempt from the lanes, according to the legislation.

A driver found violating carpool lane restrictions could be penalized with a civil fine of at least $250, according to the legislation.

The lanes will be built along with the Interstate 75 Modernization project, meaning federal dollars will be used to fund the project. It was unclear how much the project would cost taxpayers.

Officials hope the new lanes will reduce congestion from normal lanes during rush hour and improve overall traffic operations, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Michigan would become the 20th state to use high occupancy vehicle lanes on its freeways, according to the Federal Highway Administration.