Pontiac, Bloomfield Twp. To See I-75 Business Loop Construction
Soon Oakland County will be seeing a major road construction project. Beginning this spring, crews will be working to rebuild the I-75 Business Loop (BL). According to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), they will be investing $15 million to rebuild the section of the I-75 Business Loop (Square Lake Road) between I-75 and M-1 (Woodward Avenue).
The work is expected to begin this spring and to be completed by the end of the year will be performed in two stages. They will begin with closing westbound I-75 BL from I-75 to M-1. Once that work is completed in mid-summer, then eastbound I-75 BL (Square Lake Road) will be closed from M-1 (Woodward Avenue) to I-75.
Additionally, traffic heading west will be detoured further northbound onto I-75, then on westbound M-59. Continuing further west through the Woodward Loop to southbound I-75 BL, then west onto Square Lake Road.
More Construction Projects
“By closing each direction completely, the work can be completed more efficiently, which reduces the length of time the project will take to complete, and also create a safer work zone for both drivers and construction workers,” stated MDOT.
Based on “economic modeling,” MDOT says that this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 213 jobs.
This project comes after the redevelopment efforts were announced for the former Palace of Auburn Hills site. According to MDOT, this project has the potential to create up to 963 new jobs and spark $278 million in private investment in the city of Auburn Hills. “The road project submitted by the City of Auburn Hills will improve M-24 (Lapeer Road), which will increase investment and job creation at the former Palace of Auburn Hills site and support a General Motors (GM) facility,” said MDOT.
The Pistons played at the Palace of Auburn Hills from 1988 until 2017 and won all three of their NBA titles there. The arena, which once held up to 23,000 people, was demolished in July 2020.
