Lansing Sun

Renovation is expected to begin this week on eastbound and westbound I-96 between Kent Lake Road and the I-275/M-5/I-696 interchange in Oakland County, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.

Whitmer said in a podcast that the infrastructure project would allow motorists to travel more efficiently.

"It is pretty simple: no one likes sitting in traffic," the governor said. "It takes away from valuable time at home, with friends or at work. That is why we are excited to announce the beginning of this project in Oakland County to safely and efficiently alleviate road congestion. Orange cones and barrels are hitting the road as work begins on our Flex Route, where the freeway shoulder can be used by motorists during peak travel times to save drivers time on their commutes. Since taking office, Michigan has rebuilt, replaced or repaired over 13,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges while supporting 82,000 jobs. But that progress does not mean our work is over, and I will keep working hard to jump-start even more projects to fix the damn roads with the right mix and material so they stay fixed." 

The renovation of the roadway is being funded through Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program, a three-year development project to be done in six stages, the first of which being initiated this week with the improvements on eastbound and westbound I-96, a recent press release from the governor's office said.

Upon completion, the I-96 Flex Route project will be the newest flex route in Michigan and will provide motorists with information when another lane is open during busy traffic times, the release said.