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Detroit I-94 ramp to M-10 closes for two weeks amid Restore 94 rebuild

Detroit I-94 ramp to M-10 closes for two weeks amid Restore 94 rebuild

Built World Detroit, MI local

Restore 94 lane limits near the airport run through early November; a Dearborn crash shut I-94 for hours on October 28

Yesterday: Crash closes I-94 through Dearborn

Overview

Updated 14 hours ago

Southbound Middle Belt Road stays at one lane near I-94 into early November, and the eastbound I-94 ramp to Middle Belt is closed over the same stretch. The utility work began October 21, a day later than MDOT planned, and it adds time for drivers heading to Detroit Metro Airport.

A serious crash shut I-94 through Dearborn on October 28, closing both directions at Greenfield and the westbound lanes at Schaefer Highway. MDOT said October 27 that the I-94 rebuild east of I-275 will keep lane and ramp restrictions in place for a few more years, and the agency is pointing airport traffic to I-275 and Eureka Road.

Why it matters

One lane on Middle Belt and a closed airport ramp cost minutes through early November, and a single crash can shut the whole I-94 corridor.

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Key Indicators

Reopened Sept 28
Ramp reopened on schedule
EB I-94 to NB M-10 ramp reopened after the two-week closure, no extension announced.
1 lane
Southbound Middle Belt through early November
Southbound Middle Belt near I-94 stays down to one open lane into early November; the eastbound I-94 ramp to Middle Belt is closed over the same stretch.
Oct 28
Crash shut I-94 in Dearborn
A crash around 3 p.m. closed both directions of I-94 at Greenfield and the westbound lanes at Schaefer Highway; MDOT had not announced a reopening.
I-275 to Eureka
MDOT's airport route
With I-94 restrictions continuing for a few more years, MDOT suggests drivers take I-275 to Eureka Road to reach Detroit Metro Airport.
13 miles
Project length
I-94 reconstruction from I-275 to US-12 across six communities.
$353M
Project investment
MDOT's investment in the Restore I-94 rebuild.
Mid-2029
Full project completion
The nearly $353 million rebuild is scheduled to run through mid-2029; traffic stays on temporary barrier-separated lanes until mid-2027.
Oct 23
M-39 ramp reopening listed
MDOT listed the northbound M-39 (Southfield Freeway) ramp to eastbound I-94 for reopening October 23; no announcement has confirmed it reopened.
Mid-Nov
Vining ramp to EB I-94 closed
MDOT's Oct. 23 road watch lists the Vining Road ramp to eastbound I-94 as closed until mid-November.
Summer 2028
Gate 10 ramp closure
Gate 10 ramp to westbound I-94 stays closed until Summer 2028.

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People Involved

Diane Cross
Diane Cross
MDOT Metro Detroit media contact
MDOT Metro Detroit spokesperson; briefed reporters October 27 on the remaining I-94 work

Organizations Involved

Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
State agency
Owner and operator of Restore I-94 project

The state agency that owns Michigan's freeways and is reconstructing 13 miles of I-94 through the Restore project.

Timeline

July 2026 June 2027

14 events Latest: Yesterday Showing 8 of 14
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  1. Temporary lane configuration scheduled to end

    Upcoming Construction

    Traffic is expected to shift back to permanent I-94 alignment around mid-2027.

  2. Crash closes I-94 through Dearborn

    Latest Safety

    A serious crash around 3 p.m. closed both directions of I-94 at Greenfield and the westbound lanes at Schaefer Highway. At least two vehicles were towed; injuries were not reported, and no reopening time was announced.

  3. MDOT: I-94 work east of I-275 to last a few more years

    Construction

    MDOT's Diane Cross said traffic runs two lanes each way on the westbound side of I-94 while crews rebuild pavement, bridges and ramps. She said the project will continue for another couple of years and suggested I-275 to Eureka Road for airport trips.

  4. Vining and Wayne Road ramps to I-94 remain closed

    Construction

    MDOT's weekly road watch lists the Vining Road ramp to eastbound I-94 closed until mid-November and the Wayne Road ramp to westbound I-94 closed until 2027.

  5. Middle Belt lane limits begin near I-94

    Construction

    Utility work on Middle Belt at I-94 started a day late. Both directions dropped to one lane for the day, the southbound Middle Belt ramp to eastbound I-94 closed, and southbound Middle Belt stays at one lane through early November.

  6. Ecorse Road scheduled to reopen

    Construction

    Ecorse Road was scheduled to reopen under I-94 at 6 PM October 9 after bridge beam setting; MDOT's closure list still showed it closed as of October 10.

  7. Ecorse Road closes under I-94 for beam setting

    Construction

    Ecorse Road closes under I-94 in Taylor through October 9 while crews set bridge beams as part of Restore I-94.

  8. Beech Daly Road closes under I-94

    Construction

    Beech Daly Road closed under I-94 from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 for bridge beam setting as part of Restore I-94. Ecorse Road followed, closing Oct. 5 to Oct. 9.

  9. Ramp reopens on schedule

    Construction

    MDOT reopened the EB I-94/NB M-10 ramp after the two-week closure, with no extension announced.

  10. EB I-94 to NB M-10 ramp closes

    Construction

    Michigan DOT shuts the ramp for two weeks of interchange work in Detroit.

  11. Inkster Road and M-39 ramp closures start

    Construction

    Inkster Road under I-94 closes through September 11; SB M-39 to EB I-94 ramp closes into late October.

  12. Work zone crash count reported

    Safety

    MDOT data showed about 300 crashes between I-275 and US-12 from February through August, roughly 1.5 a day. Crews added concrete barriers and glare screens, widened lanes and cut the speed limit from 70 mph to 60 mph.

  13. Traffic pattern shift takes effect

    Construction

    EB I-94 from east of I-275 to west of US-12 moves into shared, barrier-separated lanes until mid-2027.

  14. EB I-94 traffic shift begins near I-275

    Construction

    Crews move eastbound I-94 onto the original westbound lanes, two lanes each direction.

Scenarios

1

I-94/M-10 ramp reopens on schedule September 28

Deadline passed (Sep 28, 2026)

Discussed by: MDOT published closure schedule

The two-week closure ran as planned. Crews finished the interchange work on time and MDOT's MiDrive map dropped the ramp from its closed list by September 28, with no extension announced.

2

Restore I-94 completes on schedule by end of 2027

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: MDOT project timeline

MDOT said in late October 2026 that the I-94 work east of I-275 would continue for a few more years. If the rebuild finishes on the schedule the agency has published, the full 13 miles opens without another extension.

3

Weather or supply issues push Restore I-94 into 2028

Uncertain Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: Local traffic reporting on prior MDOT projects

Weather delays, utility conflicts or material shortages force MDOT to extend the timeline. Major closures and lane shifts continue past the original 2027 target, and MDOT formally revises the completion date into 2028.

4

Middle Belt stays at one lane past early November

Possible Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: MDOT construction bulletin

MDOT says the southbound Middle Belt lane limit lasts through early November, and the start of the utility work already slipped a day. A later reopening would leave airport traffic on detours longer.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2017-2023

I-75 Modernization, Detroit (2017-2023)

MDOT rebuilt roughly 15 miles of I-75 through Detroit, one of the most-traveled freeway stretches in the state. Crews used lane shifts, overnight closures and phased ramp shutdowns for years, mirroring the Restore I-94 playbook.

Then

Drivers faced years of lane shifts, closures and heavy congestion in a work zone through the city.

Now

The project set the standard for how MDOT manages multi-year urban freeway rebuilds with staged closures.

Why this matters now

I-75 showed Detroit drivers what Restore I-94 now brings: phased ramps, temporary lanes and years of disruption before the finished freeway opens.

1940s-1950s

Original I-94 (Edsel Ford Freeway) construction, 1940s-1950s

Michigan built the Edsel Ford Freeway, named for the Ford Motor Company president, as part of the state's postwar freeway boom. It became one of Detroit's main east-west arteries, with interchanges like the M-10 Lodge connection.

Then

The new freeways reshaped Detroit travel and development patterns across the metro area.

Now

Seven decades later, that original pavement and those bridges are the aging infrastructure Restore I-94 now replaces.

Why this matters now

The corridor being rebuilt this decade is the same one opened in the 1950s, explaining why the rebuild is so extensive.

Sources

(17)
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Michigan Department of Transportation Restore I-94 Project WDIV Detroit Michigan Department of Transportation MetroDetroitToday.com FOX 2 Detroit The News Herald Michigan Department of Transportation The Oakland Press Restore I-94 Project Michigan Department of Transportation Michigan Department of Transportation WDIV Detroit MetroDetroitToday.com FOX 2 Detroit WDIV Detroit WDIV Detroit