Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Livingston County motorists can expect to encounter some delays this weekend if traveling along the I-96 Flex Route corridor.

The Michigan Department of Transportation advises that westbound I-96 will be down to one lane from I-275 to Wixom Road from roughly 6am to 5pm Saturday. It’s needed so crews can place new pavement markings along I-96, to get ready for the next stage of work.

MDOT Communications Representative Diane Cross tells WHMI there will also be intermittent ramp closures in the Novi and Wixom area and motorists may find ramps to be closed for a short time while crews are working near there. She says once they re-open to two lanes on I-96, it will stay like that through late fall – meaning no more surprises and there will be two lanes going both eastbound and westbound that motorists can get used to.

Cross cautioned that one thing people might not expect that is, unfortunately, going to “put a little salt in the wound” is a new lane reduction on westbound 696. She says as motorists are traveling on westbound 696 and go a little bit under I-275 where there are two lanes before coming out onto I-96, that will be down to one lane all day Saturday. Cross says it will be down to one lane all the way through late fall, which will cause back-ups on westbound 696.

As the project and others progress, Cross reminds drivers to be careful when traveling through construction zones.

In an effort to give motorists and local commuters a future heads up, Cross advised that they’ll begin working on I-696 between I-275 and Lahser this fall.

Complete details about the work this weekend and specific ramp closures can be found in the provided link.