Part Of I-696 In Oakland County Closing Next Week For 2 Nights

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — Part of Interstate 696 is closing next week to prepare for a major construction project, according to road officials.

Westbound Interstate 696 will close from Lahser to Interstate 75 from 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 to 6 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 and then again at 10 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday, according to road officials.

The closure is to allow crews to prepare the road way for a massive construction project that will start in early March, according to road officials.

Starting March 1, eastbound Interstate 696 between Lahser Road and Interstate 75 will completely close for road repairs, according to road officials.

The construction project will also include rebuilding 60 bridges, according to officials.

A detour will take drivers along Michigan 10 (Lodge Freeway) south, merge onto Michigan 8 (Davison Freeway) east across Highland Park, then turn north on Interstate 75, where they can return to Interstate 696.

Officials said the eight-mile stretch of the highway that runs through multiple Oakland County communities, including Ferndale, Hazel Park, Royal Oak and Southfield is in rough shape and needs repairs.

The project will take roughly two years to complete, according to road officials.

The road work is the final part of a $275 million project to rebuild the freeway, according to officials.