DETROIT – Construction season has arrived in Metro Detroit, and with that comes weekend closures.
At 9 p.m. Friday, both directions of I-94 will close between I-75 and Connor Road. All on- and off-ramps along that stretch will also close.
The freeway will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.
"I'm glad it's just for the weekend and not any longer," one resident said.
Even though the closure won't affect the normal weekday rush hour, drivers should still expected slower traffic near the closure and on alternate routes.
"I'm sure there's still going to be a lot of traffic held up," one resident said.
To get around the closure, drivers can use I-75 to Eight Mile Road or Gratiot Avenue for the weekend.
The closure is in place to demolish two crumbling overpass bridges: the French Bridge, built in 1957 just east of Gratiot Avenue, and the Concord Bridge, built in 1958 just east of Mt. Elliott Street.
Both bridges will be fully replaced, which is part of a $17.6 million project.
"When you see construction, you see a living city," one commuter said. "When you don't see construction, you see a dying city."
There are five other projects scheduled for I-94 renovations, all of which will take place from now until November.
The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to shut down the stretch of the freeway again, but not until July.