I-94 Expansion Project [[Roadway to Detroit's Future)

[ghettopalmetto]

I'm talking about building an entirely new pedestrian bridge, not extending the existing one. With 2.7 billion dollars, building a new one should be a drop in the bucket.

You mistake MDOT for a multi-modal transportation agency.

[Scottathew]

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...ject/28697179/

MDOT says it wants to 'right-size' I-94 expansion

Officials expect the project, which would rebuild about seven miles of highway between Conner and I-96, to be completed in September 2036 at a cost of $2.9 billion, which is estimated at $1.9 billion in today's dollars.


MDOT is committed to "right-sizing" the I-94 expansion project in Detroit, a spokesman said Monday.


Although the approximately seven-mile reconstruction was approved for four lanes in each direction, officials said today that the final number of lanes has not been determined. That emphasis on flexibility, including about the expected continuous service drives that would also be part of the project, came up several times during comments at a briefing at MDOT's Detroit Operations Service Center in Detroit.


Many of the changes can be made in the highway's existing footprint, such as by replacing the highway's grassy, sloped sides with retaining walls, Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Rob Morosi said.


"The last thing we want to do is cut a swath through Detroit," Morosi said.


Officials noted that the John R bridge over I-94 is expected to remain in place, in part because it may eventually be part of a route for bus-rapid transit.


Officials expect the project, which would rebuild about seven miles of highway between Conner and I-96, to be completed in September 203 6 at a cost of $2.9 billion, which is estimated at $1.9 billion in today's dollars. Construction is expected to begin in earnest in 2019, although replacement of major bridges is happening before that.


The project has gotten some pushback from critics who say a highway expansion is not the best use of precious highway dollars, but MDOT says the aging stretch of I-94 has critical maintenance issues that cannot adequately be addressed without rebuilding it.


Officials estimated 160,000 vehicles per day travel through the area.


MDOT says there were more than 4,000 crashes with 1,815 injuries in five areas on I-94 from 2008-2012. The top three crash types include rear-end, single vehicle and sideswipe.


"It really is a true indication of a congestion issue," Morosi said.


Officials say they need to bring the highway, which was built between 1947 and 1959, up to modern standards by eliminating left-hand exits and adding acceleration lanes for traffic entering the highway.


Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.




Open house community meetings to gather input on the I-94 project are planned for next month:


■ July 14 — 9-11 a.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m.


Cathedral Church of St. Paul [[Barth Hall)


4800 Woodward Ave., Detroit


■ July 16 — 2-4 and 6-8 p.m.


Wayne County Community College, Eastern Campus


5901 Conner Ave.


Detroit

[1953]

I've decided, upon careful review, that I like this project.

1953

[MSUguy]

So MDOT recently held a new round community meetings. Big takeaways from the update.

- No Midtown service drives
- Keeping bridges that like John R and Beaubien of the bridges that were to be removed
- Converting several pedestrian only bridges to vehicular. Most notably imo Selden over the Lodge which would help improve the connection between Midtown and Woodbridge

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/md...s_542461_7.pdf

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...dges/93971454/

[bust]

Good news if this means they intend to preserve United Sound Systems. It was previously stated it could not stay because they planned to build a service drive there.