Widening of I-75 to begin this summer in Oakland county (Grand Rapids: subdivision, live)

[MS313]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

2016: from north of Coolidge Highway to north of South Boulevard. (2 miles)
2018: from north of I-696 to south of 12 Mile Road. (2 miles)
2020: from north of Wattles Road to north of Coolidge Highway. (3 miles)
2022: from north of Rochester Road to north of Wattles Road. (2.5 miles)
2024: from north of 13 Mile Road to north of Rochester Road. (3 miles)
2026: from south of 12 Mile Road to north of 13 Mile Road. (1 mile)
2028: from north of 9 Mile Road to I-696. (1 mile)
2030: from north of M-102 (8 Mile Road) to north of 9 Mile Road. (1 mile)
Extensive I-75 reconstruction to kick off in July

To me this seems like really bite size projects. Though with the amount of traffic on 75 during rush hour, it's almost an inconvenient route in it of it's self. I'm in support of this widening because north and south of where the project ends, I-75 is already 4 lanes and I never understood why within the most populated area of the region it stayed 3 lanes.

I for the life of me never understood why there were 4 lanes way by Pontiac but 3 lanes until you got into the city and then back to 4. That always seemed pretty odd to me.

[DTWflyer]

I-75 was widened from north of Square Lake up through Auburn Hills to north of M-24/Lapeer Rd. from what was originally 2 lanes to 4 lanes back in the late 80s/early 90s. This coincided with the massive build-up of the Chysler CTC campus, the ensuing business/industry that followed, and the opening of the Palace. The added 2 lanes on the inside of the highway to basically fill-in the median, rebuild the Featherstone overpass, added Exit 78/Chrysler drive.

They didn't rebuilt, but should have, the M-59 interchange and University drive interchanges (which they finally did in 2015).

What I don't understand about this project is the reality is that I-75 through Troy really isn't much of a pain-point. The biggest issues are 1) I-75/I-696 interchange 2) I-75/M-59 interchange 3) I-75/Square Lake interchange 4) Lane capacity from 12 Mile to 8 Mile and sight-lines, curves, ramps with little/no merge lanes. The worst of the bottlenecks aren't going to be addressed for another 10+ years.

[jaynarie]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

What I don't understand about this project is the reality is that I-75 through Troy really isn't much of a pain-point. The biggest issues are 1) I-75/I-696 interchange 2) I-75/M-59 interchange 3) I-75/Square Lake interchange 4) Lane capacity from 12 Mile to 8 Mile and sight-lines, curves, ramps with little/no merge lanes. The worst of the bottlenecks aren't going to be addressed for another 10+ years.

I agree 1000%.

I am glad the Square Lake entry to NB75 will be on the right. I hate driving through during rush hour when everyone is making that 5 lane merge to get onto 59. I'm always thankful I don't have to do it.
And the weave lane style entry to 59 is terrible. I've always hated going from SB75 to EB59, no matter what time of the day.

Between Square Lake and 14 mile really only needs to be resurfaced. Maybe widen SB from Big Beaver, as that gets backed up in the afternoons.

Even though the stretch from 12 mile to 8 mile is probably the biggest need in terms of congestion, I dread it the most because it will be a very lengthy process.

Overall, since I drive the entire 17 mile stretch everyday, I guess I need a new job, or else I will be dealing with construction for the next 20 years!

[usroute10]

Instead of a High Occupancy Vehicle Lane, build a commuter rail lane. They have built rail lines along freeways in Chicago and Denver and San Francisco

Blue Line of Chicago, in the median of the Dan Ryan Freeway



Pleasanton/Daly City Line in San Francisco Bay Area




Map of Aurora Line/I-225 Line in Colorado



If they are going to basically re-build the whole freeway, why not?

[animatedmartian]

They're rebuilding the bridges and some of the interchanges. The rest of the freeway will be repaved with the added pavement for the new lanes so it's technically not a complete rebuild (unlike I-94 through Detroit).

Ironically, all those freeways are wider than I-75. Especially Dan Ryan which has 5 lines of traffic on either side of the commuter line.

[Goodby]

Currently the southbound lanes of I- 75 do not all continue under eight mile .One lane exits at eight mile.Now they are adding an HOV lane so there will be two lanes that will not continue past eight mile.How does this make any sense ?

[DTWflyer]

That hopefully will change when they eventually rebuild that section, but that is still several years out.
The 8 Mile - 12 Mile reconstruction will a huge mess with the 696 and 8 Mile interchanges.

The section that starts construction this month, for the next two construction season is I-75 between Adams & 12 Mile exits.
Basically all of the Troy segment.

[alwayssanantonio]

The lengthy completion date is due to working in congested traffic. It slows work down to a snails pace due to there being so many commuters daily. It becomes more even dangerous yest, in what is a very dangerous occupation already. People will die doing this project, surely. Heavy and highway construction and mineral extraction occupations, are most dangerous occupation on earth. More dangerous than soldiering, police, fireman anything. No occupation produces more deaths and injuries annually. 5000 I think it is, world wide. Road and highway construction result in 80% of all equipment fatalities in the U.S.
The job will require the demolition, removal and then the, reconstruction of I-75. The extraction of highway concrete is hard on the guys and on the equipment. This is no picnic--- let me tell you. I would not want to be out there.
Uneven ground, working at high altitudes( falls), equipment mishaps, the shattering of old concrete, all sorts of things will happen. Injuries are not uncommon. Far different than an office job. Poor office people. Delayed. THere were deaths in the construction of M-5 of a few years back.
The freeway work must be done with such exactitude - well, it makes it even worse.. State freeway inspectors watch every move made and must approve every detail because of the huge expense involved and the liabilities for the state, if not done right.
Remember the Zilwaukee Bridge? Ten years to complete. Cost over runs, accidents.
It ain't easy. In fact it is am extremely dangerous and difficult occupation. I just hope the lockout of last summer is resolved. This might make complicate matters, as it is not a strike but a voluntary layoff
by the Operators local.

[alwayssanantonio]

The lockout of the Operating Engineers Local 324 is over! A brand new contract will be signed at the end of March when the old temporary 120 day temp. contract ends in April.
The guys won this one,, because too many state, and private projects, cannot be delayed any longer.

AN most excellent post by DTW flyer concerning the interchange between the southbound lanes on I-75
and I-696. The traffic comes to a complete halt entirely, in all lanes, during the evening rush hour. This is rush hour craziness. I remember sitting at a complete stop on this interstate, waiting in south bound rush hour traffic.
The interchange onto the north bound lanes from I-696 to I-75 halts in morning rush hour too, but only the far right exit lane leading to the north bound I-75 exit.
The south bound interchange lanes @ I-75 and I-696 needs an expansion, a widening, out past the existing right of way, more lanes, to alleviate this traffic snarl but I have heard nothing about this. While Writing of traffic jams.

I saw a quite comical pseudo road rage incident near twelve mile and Telegraph northbound. As I sat- the third car back from the red lamp- a white motorist exited his car in front of me and began screaming at the first motorist through the closed front car window of the first car stopped ahead of him. I was an interested spectator by this time and very puzzled over these incidents which were transpiring in front of me.
As a black dude exited the front door of the first car, the white dude ran back and jumped into his car and then; the first motorist, a black man stopped at the lamp whom had been minding his own business, reached back for something in his front seat, ran back, hurled and burst a quart of beer all over the front door car window of the previously screaming individual's car. I was surprised the front door glass had survived such a blow. The lamp turned green and all proceeded north as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened except for the beer and glass all over the second car.
Only on one other occasion have I seen such nonsense.

[lucky2balive]

this will take longer than the concrete will actually last...