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MDOT I-696 reconstruction to close eastbound lanes, shutter plaza deck and disrupt local parks for up to two years
Summary
MDOT’s multi-year I-696 reconstruction will begin ramp and lane closures around March 1, close eastbound traffic for roughly two years and require staging in Victoria Park that will make a nearby ball field inaccessible; MDOT will host an open house Feb. 4 and the city will publish project tracking online.
Director Dave DeCoster told the Oak Park City Council that major Interstate 696 reconstruction affecting the city will begin with ramp closures on or around March 1 and will run through staged work slated to end in 2027.
"The closures for the project are scheduled to start on March 1," DeCoster said. He warned that eastbound I-696 traffic will be closed for about two years while westbound lanes remain in varied operation and a traffic shift is expected in 2026.
DeCoster said the most complicated portion for Oak Park is the Z03 plaza deck at the Church Street crossing and Victoria Park. He said the plaza-deck element alone is "well over $25,000,000" and will require periodic, full closures of I-696 when crews remove box beams and replace the deck.
The department has published a truck detour plan that routes trucks via I-75, but DeCoster said residents will likely choose surface streets. MDOT will install a pedestrian detour with temporary walkways and temporary lighting where crossings are rerouted. DeCoster said MDOT will hold a project open house at Temple Emanu-El on Feb. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. for contractors, MDOT officials and city representatives to answer questions.
Council members and staff said staging needs will require use of nearby park areas and that the city will lose access to a ball diamond and parts of Victoria Park for roughly two years while MDOT stages and reconstructs the bridge. "They need that area to stage and to properly rebuild this bridge," DeCoster said.
City manager Eric Tungate said the city will work with MDOT and other partners to communicate schedule and detour information to residents, and the city intends to publish a project dashboard linking to MDOT’s project page. DeCoster said MDOT will also publish updates on drivingoakland.com.
Local business owners voiced concern. Ken Sherman, during the public comment period, asked how businesses would be supported if motorists bypass Oak Park because certain exits will be closed. The city said it will notify residents and stakeholders and host information sessions, but specific mitigation programs for affected businesses were not specified during the meeting.
The city advised residents to watch MDOT’s published detour materials and the planned city dashboard for updates and said the open house on Feb. 4 will be an opportunity to raise specific local concerns.
