Part of I-94 will be closed this Friday. The closure will allow construction crews to set the skeleton of the new Second Avenue Bridge. Officials expect the closure to last for a week. So, if weather permits, the Interstate will reopen on July 29th.
I-94 will be closed in both directions between the Lodge Freeway and I-75 for the crews to do their work. Workers will start to close on-ramps for the affected area at around 1 a.m. on Friday. All on ramps between the eastbound 30th Street ramp and the westbound Mt. Elliott St. ramp will close during the construction. So, if you’re planning on taking a trip to Kalamazoo for the weekend, consider an alternate route or plan.
While I-94 is closed, eastbound traffic will be rerouted to southbound M-10, and then northbound I-75 back to eastbound I-94. Westbound I-94 traffic will travel southbound on I-75, then on I-96 back to westbound I-94. These detours will take drivers further into downtown Detroit.
The skeleton of the new bridge was built in a nearby Wayne University parking lot. It currently weighs around 1,100 tons.
I-94 Closed for long-overdue Second Avenue Bridge replacement
The original Second Avenue bridge was built in 1954. According to the Michigan DOT, it was never replaced during its lengthy run serving Detroit. It was torn down in 2020.
Officials are characterizing the new bridge as an “engineering marvel” and as a push towards a more sustainable future. It is set to become Michigan’s first network tied-arch bridge. This type of bridge has a network of crossing cables that connect the bridge’s arches to its loadbearing structure. The bridge will not require a center pier as a result of its design, which is crucial as officials plan an I-94/Lodge Freeway interchange. It will feature one car lane in each direction, as well as large sidewalks and bike lanes, and will cost the state $26 million.
