MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — The entrance ramps to northbound and southbound I-75 from westbound I-696 are open again, marking a milestone in the $280 million reconstruction project along I-696.
The Michigan Department of Transportation announced the opening, which tens of thousands of drivers are expected to welcome after months of detours and longer commutes.
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Dr. Anthony Sclafani, who works from his home in Huntington Woods, said he had been adding 10 to 15 minutes to his drives across town for the past year and a half because of the construction.
"You can't have it both ways. People say, oh, I want the roads fixed. Okay, but then we gotta close them to fix them," Sclafani said.
Jodi Rosen, who lives in Ferndale, said she also spent months navigating new routes around the construction.
"Definitely, it's gonna add anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes because you have to, like, go down here. Turn around. Sometimes you have to do, you know, Michigan U-turns, or you're not expecting to do them, or get off on this exit, turn around, go that way. It doesn't matter what direction we're going. We have to do some kind of detour," Rosen said.
Samantha Raj, who lives in Livonia and drives frequently for work, said the closure had been a significant inconvenience.
"A huge pain. I've had to take 8 Mile a lot, um, which isn't bad, but it just takes a lot longer, so it's not convenient at all for me to commute with traffic lights and congestion and all of the things, so I'm really excited that it's opening back up," Raj said.
Jack Zaya, owner of 696 Master Collision in Madison Heights — a business named after the interstate under construction — said the project took a toll on the surrounding area.
"Construction on the highway made everywhere busy here," Zaya said.
Zaya said the disruption affected workers and businesses throughout the area.
"It hurt everything. People going to work, businesses around this area, everything was hurt," Zaya said.
He said the congestion created by detoured traffic compounded the problem.
"So it's just making everything busy, of course. Everyone wants to get to where they wanted to, and there are becoming 1,000 cars in one area," Zaya said.
With the ramps now open, Zaya said he is ready to move on.
"Very happy. It's helping everybody now," Zaya said.
The project is not yet finished. Construction is expected to be officially completed by the end of 2026.
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