News Summary
Travelers in Detroit should be aware of significant changes on I-94 due to utility work and a recent truck incident. Utility relocations will cause westbound lane closures, while a truck mishap earlier this week led to traffic delays. Motorists are advised to check road conditions and plan accordingly, especially when heading towards Metro Airport.
Detroit’s I-94 on the Move: Utility Work and a Truck Incident
Attention, Detroit travelers! If you’re planning on hitting the road, especially near Metro Airport, you might want to pay close attention to some ongoing changes along I-94. There’s a utility relocation project happening that’s causing intermittent closures on the highway, so some extra planning could save you from a headache.
Utility Work Causing Closures
On Sunday, April 27, the westbound lanes of I-94 will experience total closures starting from 2 a.m. and lasting until 10 a.m.. That’s right, for that eight-hour window, if you’re headed west, there’ll be about ten complete closures lasting around 15 minutes each. You might want to factor in some extra time if you are going to be in the area, especially between Ecorse Road and Middle Belt Road during those hours.
Not all is lost for eastbound drivers, though! From 1 a.m. to noon on Sunday, there will be two open lanes on I-94 east between Middle Belt Road and Ecorse Road. But keep in mind, if you’re coming from Ecorse Road and looking to hop onto the westbound I-94, you’ll hit a snag, as that entrance ramp will be closed for the same duration of time as the westbound lane closures.
As always with construction, it’s wise to check the weather, as all activities may depend on the conditions outside. If you’re curious about updates or want to see a map of the construction zones, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has an online resource that can help you stay in the loop.
Truck Mishap Shakes Things Up
The Michigan State Police noted how lucky it was that traffic on Merriman Road was light at the time, as the accident could have been significantly worse. Cleanup took about two hours, during which time the exit to the airport from the westbound I-94 was closed. To make things easier for other drivers, both directions of Merriman Road were also shut down for the cleanup.
For anyone aiming to reach the airport during that time, the police recommended alternative routes via Middlebelt or Interstate-275 to Eureka until the chaos was cleared up. Even once the wreck was dealt with, heavy traffic was still reported in the area until late in the evening. Thankfully, traffic troubles eased by 8:04 p.m. when all lanes were finally in service again.
Keep Your Eyes on the Road
So, Detroit, if you’re traveling this weekend or just passing through, keep your eyes peeled for updates on road conditions and closures. The ongoing improvements are certainly a great thing for the long run, but for now, a little patience will go a long way. Safe travels, everyone!
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
I-94 Closure Alert for Detroit Drivers This Weekend
Unpredictable Weather Hits Metro Detroit with Rain and Snow Mix
Bridge Demolition Delay in Detroit: What You Need to Know
Detroit Drivers Face Weekend I-94 Closure for Bridge Demolition
Multiple Car Accidents and Arson in Detroit Leave Several Injured
Additional Resources
- MLive News
- Google Search: I-94 Detroit construction
- ClickOnDetroit
- Google Scholar: Detroit road closure news
- Fox 2 Detroit
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Detroit transportation
- Detroit News
- Google News: Detroit I-94 traffic
