I-94 Traffic Shift in Kalamazoo Starts Saturday Night

If your daily commute takes you through Kalamazoo on I-94, you’ll notice a big difference next week.  The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project to widen I-94 from four to six lanes from Lovers Lane to Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo is moving to its next phase, requiring a traffic shift.

Workers will be rebuilding the eastbound lanes over the next several months, so all traffic will be shifted over to the westbound lanes.   MDOT spokesman Nick Schirripa says those eastbound lanes will be shifted onto westbound I-94 from Lovers Lane to just east of Sprinkle Road.  He says there will be two-lane traffic in both directions, to minimize traffic slowdowns.

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The temporary concrete barrier and pavement markings will be installed starting 9 p.m. Saturday, April 24, to 8 a.m. Sunday, April 25, and traffic will be shifted when that work is complete. In case of a delay caused by weather, the shift will be performed from 9 p.m. Sunday, April 25, to 6 a.m. Monday, April 26.

If you’re used to driving east on the Interstate and getting off at the Portage Road exit, you’ll need a plan B until June 4th.  Schirripa says the Exit 78 ramp from eastbound I-94 to Portage Road will be closed and the posted detour for this ramp will be on US-131 and Centre Avenue.

DOT is investing $87 million to widen 2.7 miles of I-94 and rebuild the Portage Road interchange with a new alignment known as a single-point urban interchange (SPUI), similar to the I-94/Westnedge Avenue interchange. The project also includes rebuilding four bridges and one culvert, traffic signal upgrades, new signs, freeway lighting, and noise barrier installation.

This investment will connect expansion work completed in previous years along the corridor. A video explaining the project is available on MDOT's YouTube channel.