By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Plans for a new Michigan Department of Transportation project to improve an often-congested stretch of freeway in Livingston County were shared at a virtual meeting.

The US-23 Flex Route, completed in 2018, eased morning traffic into Ann Arbor, and evening traffic coming out, but still created bottlenecks heading northbound at its endpoint at M-36. An MDOT survey found most commuters were satisfied with the project, but were also interested in it being extended. Using pre-pandemic traffic counts and regional travel forecasting going out to 2045, MDOT has decided that a second phase of the Flex Route is warranted. Using $150-million in funds from Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan bond program, phase 2 will see the Flex Route extended from M-36 to the I-96 interchange near Lee Road.

Two existing interchanges further south will see improvements. The 9-Mile Road interchange is scheduled to have roundabouts installed. At Silver Lake Road in Green Oak Township, MDOT is considering 2 options. One is for roundabouts, and the other is for a single point urban interchange, or SPUI. The SPUI would be a single light under the bridge and was compared to being like that found at the Wixom interchange on I-96, though the Silver Lake SPUI would be smaller.

The Lee Road exit, with its close proximity to the I-96 interchange often sees traffic backups and heavy congestion during peak times. During MDOT’s online presentation Monday, Project Kari Martin was asked about section of road and whether the interchange will need to be reconfigured. Martin said there was no plan to redo the I-96 interchange near Lee Road, and that the added flex lane should ease the often congested merging.

Design aesthetics from phase 1, namely in the bridges and overpasses, would be included in phase 2 for a cohesiveness of the corridor. When completed, the entirety of the route will operate as a whole for its length running from I-96 to M-14. Construction is expected to begin in 2023.

For more information, visit the project’s website, https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9621_11008_78923---,00.html