By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Although behind schedule, the Grand River repaving project in the City of Howell is continuing and a new detour is in effect for motorists.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is performing the work, which is being done in zones along Grand River. At Monday night’s virtual Howell City Council meeting, it was reported that contractor is currently behind schedule - some of which is being attributed to weather. Joint repairs and storm sewer repairs were done earlier this month, with a mill and overlay being done between Highlander Way and Chestnut. Westbound traffic is currently being detoured. DPS Director Erv Suida said they received a call about the change, which he noted was done unannounced again.

Suida said traffic will be detoured for the next couple of weeks while crews are paving. Suida said crews will switch sides so there will be one lane each way. Crews are working on the westbound side now and will then switch over to eastbound. He said M-DOT is hoping to have that section done in two weeks before switching over to the downtown area, which is a five-lane section. Suida said crews will do one side with three lanes, consisting of a turning lane and two driving lanes, and then move over to the new surface and do the other two lanes.

Suida said the timeframe that M-DOT gave to detour traffic one-way will be for the next two weeks, weather permitting. He said hopefully they’ll start moving a little quicker and stay on task to get the work done.