LANSING, Mich. — A two-mile stretch of Interstate 496 in downtown Lansing will be closed in both directions for about six months.
The work will begin in early summer. All lanes of I-496 between Lansing Road and the Grand River by Larch Street will be closed through November.
Michigan Department of Transportation officials say the full closure will help speed up the project’s timeline by potentially one year.
MDOT plans to re-open one lane of traffic in both directions by mid-November.
MDOT also plans to replace a deep stormwater sewer along I-496 in Lansing. They say it will be a particularly challenging part of this project.
The state will work with CATA to temporarily relocate bus stops impacted by the project which include stops on St. Joseph Street west of Washington Avenue, Malcolm X Street east of Grand Avenue and Clare Street south of St. Joseph Street.
Nearby pedestrian routes will be moved one block away from the highway.
Traffic will be redirected along Malcolm X and St. Joseph streets while the highway is closed, and 17 overpasses will be repaired during the two-year project. MDOT is set to close those overpasses intermittently over the next two years.
“Construction will begin in April of 2022 with repairs on Malcolm X and St. Joseph streets. That’s going to get them ready for detoured traffic. Them from June through November of 2022 eastbound and westbound 496 will be closed between MLK and Grand. drivers will be detoured using MLK and St. Joseph streets," said MDOT spokesperson Aaron Jenkins.
MDOT will repair surface pavement on the service drives that will be used as a detour during the project. Up to 65,000 vehicles drive through that area per day.
Officials will assemble a 200-foot long, 18-foot tall noise barrier off westbound Interstate 496 near Grand Avenue. That will take place after the road work is completed.
The project is part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $82 million “Rebuilding Michigan” program.
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