Repair of I-275 delayed as Cherry Hill Road work begins
While one major road construction project in the area has been delayed as the state seeks additional funding to reconstruct a portion of I-275, work on another Canton Township project began this week.
Construction on Cherry Hill Road in Canton Township was scheduled to begin last Monday. The road will be resurfaced and widened from Canton Center to Haggerty Road, according to a statement from the office of Township Supervisor Pat Williams.
“There could be unexpected delays in the project start date due to the current COVID-19 pandemic,” Williams cautioned in a prepared statement.
Construction barrels were scheduled for placement along the side of Cherry Hill on Monday in anticipation of the roadwork.
During the first phase of the project, westbound traffic will be maintained on Cherry Hill Road. Eastbound traffic will be detoured to Beck Road, eastbound Ford Road and then southbound Lotz Road. Once work is completed on the eastbound lanes, the detour route will be reversed to allow eastbound traffic to be maintained. Westbound traffic will be detoured to Lotz Road, westbound on Ford Road and then northbound on Beck Road, he explained.
All detour routes will be clearly posted with the appropriate signs. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic as needed during construction.
“Please use caution when driving through work zones. Reduced speeds and load restrictions will be posted,” Williams noted.
This is a Wayne County project and all questions should be directed to 888-ROAD-CREW. For up-to-date information on all road construction projects taking place in Canton, access Facebook at www.facebook.com/ cantonMSD.
As that work begins, Michigan Department of Transportation officials have opted to delay the scheduled $50 million project planned for I-275 between Ford and Six Mile. Officials have reconsidered the project and have determined that the original plan for a mill and refill repair would not be the optimal solution. Officials said in a prepared statement that they are hoping for enough additional funding to reconstruct the roadway rather than make the planned repairs. The project will be delayed for at least a year, according to the state.
Diane Cross, Detroit area spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Transportation, the new plan is not related to or caused by the current coronavirus pandemic. She said that the decision involves the removal of all the roadway material and a rebuilding of the expressway from the ground up rather than the planned milling down of the current surface and refilling it with the same material.
The planned reconstruction will take place through Canton Township, Livonia, Northville and Plymouth and is expected to begin in the spring or fall of next year, depending on available funding. No cost estimates for the expanded project were announced.
Cross said that regular maintenance and repairs would take place as needed and would include pothole repairs or other issues. She noted that traffic volumes have decreased by more than 50 percent on all roadways in the area during the coronavirus pandemic.
