You may have noticed a lot of orange barrels on I-94 between Stevensville and Benton Harbor the past few days. That’s because the Michigan Department of Transportation is about to get started on a $204 million reconstruction project.
MDOT spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells us they’re rebuilding the highway from Puetz Road to Washington Avenue this year. This will mean only two lanes of travel in each direction will be open this year, and that’s not all.
“There are going to be some detours in there,” Schirripa said. “This year, we’ll have to detour the ramps at Red Arrow Highway for a bit. We’ll do that with John Beers Road and Red Arrow Highway to get folks around those while they’re being rebuilt.”
MDOT will rebuild a total of four bridges and do maintenance on another nine. Schirripa says there will be more work next year and then the next.
“We’ll be doing westbound I-94 in 2025 from Washington Avenue to Empire Avenue, and then in 2026, going back into eastbound I-94. We’ll be working on the rebuilding of bridges over Pipestone Road. So those four bridges we’re rebuilding over the next few years, two of them are at Pipestone Road.”
Other 2024 work includes drainage, sound abatement barriers, and culverts between Washington Avenue and Puetz Road.
Schirripa says with the lane reductions in place, it may take longer to travel through the area. Therefore, drivers are advised to give themselves more time.
