TROY, Mich. – Construction on Rochester Road in Troy is creating major headaches for drivers and nearby businesses, with two separate projects running simultaneously just miles apart.
Two projects, one big impact
The larger of the two projects is a reconstruction of Rochester Road between Sylvanwood and Barclay -- the current phase of a multi-year effort that also covered Sylvanwood to South Boulevard last year.
The project is funded through a combination of a $22 million federal and Michigan Department of Transportation grant and approximately $5.6 million from the City of Troy.
The work includes widening the road and creating a concrete boulevard. All lanes are expected to reopen by the end of 2026, with full restoration finishing in 2027.
A few miles south, near Big Beaver Road, crews are replacing concrete slabs on Rochester Road from I-75 to Torpey Road. That work began in earlier this month and is expected to wrap up by early August 2026.
Long Lake intersection closure
On June 17, the city closed the intersection of eastbound Long Lake Road at Rochester Road for at least three weeks to allow for paving. Westbound Long Lake Road remains open.
The city said it weighed several options before moving forward with a full closure, ultimately determining it was the most efficient path forward.
“A partial closure would have significantly extended the construction schedule, so a full closure was chosen as the most efficient option to minimize overall disruption to motorists, residents, and businesses,” the city said in a statement.
Businesses feeling the pinch
For businesses along Rochester Road, the timing is painful -- and for some, the lack of advance notice made it worse.
Grant Vandekerkhoff, store manager at The HoneyBaked Ham Company on Long Lake Road, said foot traffic has dropped dramatically since the closure began.
“We’ll go sometimes hours and see like three people in total,” Vandekerkhoff said.
He said he found out about the closure almost by accident.
“There was no warning about it. I was driving to work one day -- actually the day before it was supposed to close down -- and I just saw the sign that said, ‘Hey, we’re closing this on the 17th.’ I said, what? Why?” Vandekerkhoff said.
He’s not asking for the work to stop, just more communication going forward.
“Just more heads up so then we can plan an attack for it instead of having to play immediate defense,” Vandekerkhoff said.
A gas station owner with multiple locations along Rochester Road told Local 4 the construction is also severely hurting his business, as many drivers are taking detours and avoiding the area altogether.
Drivers frustrated, but hopeful
Commuters in the area say the disruptions are affecting their daily routines.
“My GPS, any time I want to take I-75, I can’t take it from here. I have to go all the way to the 14 Mile,” said Masud Hossain.
“It sucks for us. I live right next to it and it’s such a pain to get anywhere on Long Lake,” said Jacob Egelski.
“They say it’s the state flower and it really does ring true,” said Chris Estrada.
Despite the frustration, residents say they’re hoping for a quick resolution.
“I’m hoping this pain will be over soon,” Hossain said.
“I hope it’s over as quick as possible,” Egelski said.
City acknowledges the inconvenience
The City of Troy says it understands the burden the project is placing on the community and is committed to finishing on time.
“We are aware that the Rochester Road Project has been an inconvenience to many, and we continue to work diligently to ensure it will be completed in a timely manner, with the ultimate goal of providing a safer, improved road for travel,” the city said.
In the meantime, drivers are advised to seek alternate routes where possible.