The winning option, as tabulated from 3,765 responses and receiving 87 percent of the vote, will close and detour one direction of interstate traffic at a time, and allows the project to be completed in one construction season and cost $1.04 million in traffic control. MDOT narrowed down the three options from a field of 22 lane closure/detour plans.
The other two options would have taken two construction seasons and cost either $2.87 million or $4.85 million in traffic control costs.
The I-275 project will replace 13 miles of concrete pavement between 5 Mile Road and the I-96/I-696/M-5 interchange involving the cities of Livonia, Novi and Farmington Hills. Also included in the $70-$80 million project is repairs to entrance and exit ramps, 16 bridges, drainage controls and work on intelligent transportation systems.
MDOT is still seeking public input on the I-275 project, which can be accessed here. The department plans to hold a public meeting to provide more project details in early November.