I-696 Sign Replacement Project To Close Left Lane

METRO DETROIT, MI — Oakland County drivers will be facing some additional slowdowns along I-696 starting July 24. The Michigan Department of Transportation is upgrading signs from Novi Road to Dequindre Road — meaning the left lane on both sides of the freeway will be closed for 10-14 days.

MDOT is doing the $8 million project in three sections:

• Mid-July to early August, between I-275 and US-24 (Telegraph Road)
• Early August to mid-August, westbound I-696 ramp to US-24 (Telegraph Road)
• Early August to mid-October, between US-24 (Telegraph Road) and Dequindre Road.

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The project includes replacing signs and sign supports, reinstalling new signs on retained trusses and cantilevers, constructing new trusses in many locations, and replacing bridge-connected signs throughout this corridor, MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross stated in a news release. She added that MDOT replaces signs approximately every 10-15 years to ensure the signs can be seen well during daytime and nighttime driving as well as pour weather conditions.

The signs lose their reflectivity over time and need to be replaced to maintain visibility, Cross said. MDOT also replaces the sign supports as they get toward the end of their useful life.

Photo by Ken Lund via Flickr Commons