I-75 open again

**Ray1936** · July-01-09, 11:03 AM

Though I'm far away from Detroit, I followed the closing and re-building of I-75 closely through the net. With the opening today and tomorrow of all the ramps, etc, it's got to be a day of relief for a lot of metro Detroiters.

I just happened to click on the web cam of Michigan DOT this morning to catch this shot of a worker removing a "closed" sign. Rejoice!

**GREENTROIT** · July-01-09, 11:17 AM

Way ahead of schedule. A very rare occurrence in roadwork projects... Good work MDOT.

**rjk** · July-01-09, 11:19 AM

I haven't been this happy since the birth of my children.

I dreaded maneuvering around that section of 75.

**Ltdave** · July-01-09, 03:11 PM

Way ahead of schedule. A very rare occurrence in roadwork projects... Good work MDOT.

word on the streets is that they offered a pretty substantial bonus for finishing ahead of schedule...

if that means crappy work, then we get no bargain but if they did it right, then i say PAY PAY PAY...

of course i only use i-75 a couple of times a year...

**Kevgoblu** · July-01-09, 09:52 PM

Still doesn't make sense to me. They only replaced 2 miles of freeway. Why again, did that take 2 years? The Lodge was repaved from Lahser to I-94 in about 6 months.

**Gsgeorge** · July-01-09, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Kevgoblu

Still doesn't make sense to me. They only replaced 2 miles of freeway. Why again, did that take 2 years? The Lodge was repaved from Lahser to I-94 in about 6 months.

repaving is a lot less complicated & time consuming than adding lanes, regrading the road, and building new ramps and bridges to connect everything.

DetroitDad · July-01-09, 10:21 PM

Does anyone know if the exit from the Lodge onto Westbound I-94 is reopening early?

**ndavies** · July-02-09, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Kevgoblu

Still doesn't make sense to me. They only replaced 2 miles of freeway. Why again, did that take 2 years? The Lodge was repaved from Lahser to I-94 in about 6 months.

They reconfigured the interchange to provide improved access to the Ambassador bridge. This involved completely ripping out the old infrastucture and building from scratch. This was not just a repaving job.

**GREENTROIT** · July-02-09, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Ltdave

word on the streets is that they offered a pretty substantial bonus for finishing ahead of schedule...

if that means crappy work, then we get no bargain but if they did it right, then i say PAY PAY PAY...

You're right. The contractor got an extra $5M for his quick work.

**Evelyn** · July-02-09, 10:56 AM

DetroitDad- The westbound ramp from the Lodge to I-94 is open again. Yay!

**eriedearie** · July-02-09, 11:54 AM

Yay! Back to normal - all that maneuvering was getting on my nerves. Especially trying to get to the Bridge. How many times I missed the turnoff and found myself headed for Detroit Metro! Not pleasant in a driving rainstorm!

**hudkina** · July-02-09, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kevgoblu

Still doesn't make sense to me. They only replaced 2 miles of freeway. Why again, did that take 2 years? The Lodge was repaved from Lahser to I-94 in about 6 months.

There is a huge difference between "replace" and "repave". The Lodge was just a resurfacing job along with bridgework.

This was completely new construction of that entire stretch. They completely tore out the old infrastructure and built from scratch an entirely new two mile stretch of freeway. And it wasn't just a typical "2-mile" stretch of a rural freeway. It added a direct link from the Ambassador Bridge to the freeways. It also added a new onramp/offramp for Vernor Hwy [[for better access to the Mexicantown area) and a large pedestrian bridge connecting the two halves of Mexicantown.

**Detroitnerd** · July-02-09, 12:06 PM

So now I can drive from the Chrysler to the Fisher and through to Toledo without any diversions?

**eriedearie** · July-02-09, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

So now I can drive from the Chrysler to the Fisher and through to Toledo without any diversions?

Let's hope so!

Won't that be a pleasure?

**hudkina** · July-02-09, 12:46 PM

Isn't there still a bit of construction in the southern end of Downriver into Monroe County?

**dtowncitylover** · July-02-09, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by hudkina

Isn't there still a bit of construction in the southern end of Downriver into Monroe County?

Just listened to WWJ 950, they said it just reopened. That roadwork mentioned above is done too!!! The Fisher/D-T Expressway is clear for the holiday season!