A two-mile stretch of I-496 in downtown Lansing will be shut down starting Thursday.
Closures will begin overnight early Thursday between midnight and 5 a.m.
The Michigan Department of Transportation has been preparing I-496 for this project for months. Now, get ready for the freeway to be closed in both directions until mid-October.
MDOT construction manager Chris Gembel says this will be a full reconstruction of the freeway.
“In addition to that, there’s going to be drainage and lighting improvements, as well as 17 structures in the area are going to be repaired. Three of them are going to have full deck replacements,” Gembel said.
I-496 traffic will be detoured eastbound via Malcolm X Street and westbound via St. Joseph Street.
Including more work next year, the project is budgeted at almost $82-million.
