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Mayor, trades trainer flag I‑696 closures and urge Oak Park students toward apprenticeship paths
Summary
Public commenters at the Jan. 13 board meeting warned of long-term I‑696 construction that will affect local traffic and encouraged the board to connect students to tuition‑free apprenticeship and skilled‑trades training programs.
Speakers during public participation at the Jan. 13 Oak Park Board of Education meeting highlighted near‑term transportation disruptions from a state highway reconstruction and promoted local skilled‑trades apprenticeship opportunities for district students.
Mayor Curtis (Mayor, City of Oak Park) told the board that the Michigan Department of Transportation plans an eastbound closure of I‑696 from Lahser Road to I‑75 beginning March 1 for roughly two years to reconstruct the roadway and multiple bridges; he said MDOT will provide regular updates. Mayor Curtis also described local park and plaza construction projects that will affect summer events and access.
Community member Dan Daniel, who described work in regional construction projects, urged trustees to arrange tours of the Detroit‑area training center he represents. Daniel said the center’s apprenticeship and training programs are tuition free for participants, provide books at no cost and include paid hours for trainees during class days. “It’s free. And it’s free to not only Detroit students, but Oak Park students and Oak Park District’s residents as well,” Daniel said, adding that apprenticeship graduates can earn marketable wages working on large regional projects.
Why it matters
The transportation work on I‑696 will reroute eastbound regional traffic and can affect commute times for families, staff and student transportation; the apprenticeship presentations flagged free, employer‑linked training that district leaders and counselors could promote to students exploring career pathways.
What the board said
Superintendent Abdulahad acknowledged district events and operational dates discussed earlier in the meeting and encouraged follow‑through on outreach; a trustee suggested the administration coordinate possible field trips or informational visits for students to the apprenticeship center.
Ending
No formal board action was taken during public comment on either the MDOT construction or the apprenticeship programs. Trustees asked administrators to follow up on potential school visits and to route additional information to board members.
