Post by wd40 on Apr 5, 2010 8:17:45 GMT -5
PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) - Work continues on a big construction project near the Kalamazoo/Portage area that was announced last year by Vice President Joe Biden.
Michigan Department of Transportation is spending about $50 million to reconstruct and widen almost 2 miles of I-94, east of Oakland Drive to east of Lovers Lane.
The project will:
•Widen I-94 from four to six lanes, three lanes in each direction
•Reconstruct the Westnedge Avenue interchange with a more efficient design
•Install a new traffic signal on South Westnedge Avenue
•Widen about 1,600 feet of S. Westnedge Avenue to accommodate the new interchange and remove the traffic bottleneck posed by the existing bridge carrying I-94 traffic over S. Westnedge Avenue
•Rebuild four bridges
•Provide screening walls for residents currently impacted by highway noise
•Upgrade existing freeway signs
•Construction of two new detention basins to improve water quality discharged to the west branch of Portage Creek
The next phase was not expected until 2020, but federal stimulus dollars helped the project get started earlier.
The construction means big traffic improvements in the long run for the busy area, which is a main commercial transportation artery between Detroit and Chicago.
But building the road improvements will take time and will cause drivers some headaches until is is completed.
The project will take place in three phases during the next three years. Two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained on I-94 throughout the time.
During construction, all S. Westnedge Avenue businesses will remain open and accessible. Access will be possible by taking detours on Oakland Drive, Portage Road, Milham Road and Kilgore Road.
Other detours include several highway on- and off-ramps, including:
•Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue
•Eastbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue
•Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue
•Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94
In addition, southbound Portage Road to westbound I-94 will also need to be closed.
At the end of the 2010 construction season, half of the project will be complete.
Eastbound traffic will be shifted onto the newly completed eastbound I-94 lanes for the winter months.
Some ramps still will be closed because of the partially completed interchange at I-94 and S. Westnedge Avenue
The final phase of the project will begin in 2011 when construction begins on the final phase of the project; westbound I-94 traffic will be shifted onto the new eastbound I-94 lanes; work will begin on the new westbound lanes and the new I-94 bridges over S. Westnedge Avenue and the Grand Elk Railroad.
This work will require closure of additional ramps in the I-94/Westnedge Avenue interchange including:
•Westbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge
•Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge
•Westnedge Avenue to westbound I-94
•Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue
•Southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94
In addition, southbound Portage Road to westbound I-94 will also need to be closed.
All ramps will have posted detours.
Two lanes of traffic on Westnedge Avenue will be maintained, except for a few nighttime closures that will reduce traffic to one lane in each direction. There also will be two, 12-hour full closures of South Westnedge Avenue on Saturday and Sunday evenings, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/i-94-construction-begins-second-phase
Michigan Department of Transportation is spending about $50 million to reconstruct and widen almost 2 miles of I-94, east of Oakland Drive to east of Lovers Lane.
The project will:
•Widen I-94 from four to six lanes, three lanes in each direction
•Reconstruct the Westnedge Avenue interchange with a more efficient design
•Install a new traffic signal on South Westnedge Avenue
•Widen about 1,600 feet of S. Westnedge Avenue to accommodate the new interchange and remove the traffic bottleneck posed by the existing bridge carrying I-94 traffic over S. Westnedge Avenue
•Rebuild four bridges
•Provide screening walls for residents currently impacted by highway noise
•Upgrade existing freeway signs
•Construction of two new detention basins to improve water quality discharged to the west branch of Portage Creek
The next phase was not expected until 2020, but federal stimulus dollars helped the project get started earlier.
The construction means big traffic improvements in the long run for the busy area, which is a main commercial transportation artery between Detroit and Chicago.
But building the road improvements will take time and will cause drivers some headaches until is is completed.
The project will take place in three phases during the next three years. Two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained on I-94 throughout the time.
During construction, all S. Westnedge Avenue businesses will remain open and accessible. Access will be possible by taking detours on Oakland Drive, Portage Road, Milham Road and Kilgore Road.
Other detours include several highway on- and off-ramps, including:
•Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue
•Eastbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue
•Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue
•Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94
In addition, southbound Portage Road to westbound I-94 will also need to be closed.
At the end of the 2010 construction season, half of the project will be complete.
Eastbound traffic will be shifted onto the newly completed eastbound I-94 lanes for the winter months.
Some ramps still will be closed because of the partially completed interchange at I-94 and S. Westnedge Avenue
The final phase of the project will begin in 2011 when construction begins on the final phase of the project; westbound I-94 traffic will be shifted onto the new eastbound I-94 lanes; work will begin on the new westbound lanes and the new I-94 bridges over S. Westnedge Avenue and the Grand Elk Railroad.
This work will require closure of additional ramps in the I-94/Westnedge Avenue interchange including:
•Westbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge
•Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge
•Westnedge Avenue to westbound I-94
•Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue
•Southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94
In addition, southbound Portage Road to westbound I-94 will also need to be closed.
All ramps will have posted detours.
Two lanes of traffic on Westnedge Avenue will be maintained, except for a few nighttime closures that will reduce traffic to one lane in each direction. There also will be two, 12-hour full closures of South Westnedge Avenue on Saturday and Sunday evenings, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/i-94-construction-begins-second-phase