A busy retail and commercial section of U.S. 24 / North Telegraph Road in Monroe, Michigan, will be closed to through traffic for three weeks while culvert replacement work takes place. 

The Michigan Department of Transportation has approved the closure of North Telegraph Road from Holiday Boulevard to Greenfield Avenue. The closing and detour was set to start Sept. 29, and was slightly delayed with the closing now to take place the night of Sept. 29. The closing will continue until Oct. 20 or until the work is complete, city officials announced.  

The culvert replacement is over the Mason Run Drain. 

While the actual closure is for just one block, city officials noted there will be traffic problems.  

The initial detour called for traffic to be detoured via Stewart Road to M-125 / North Monroe Street / Front Street / back to Telegraph Road. Since that time, the city has posted a longer detour that sends motorists along M-125 / North Monroe Street for about three miles, via Stewart Road to M-125 / North Monroe Street / Dunbar Road / back to Telegraph Road.

City officials say Huber Drive, which runs parallel to U.S. 24 in a residential and light industrial area, will be closed to through traffic. 

As some area residents noted in comments on the city's social media post, both U.S. 24 and M-125 routinely see overflow traffic from nearby Interstate 75 should there be accidents or construction on the freeway.  

In response to questions on Facebook, the city responded: 

"Thanks to everyone who's shared concerns about traffic on neighborhood streets — we hear you! Your feedback has been passed along to City of Monroe Public Safety, Administration, the Monroe County Road Commission, and MDOT for review. 

"We know this closure is a big inconvenience, but it's necessary to replace the aging culvert under US-24 at Mason Run Drain and relocate key utilities. While a full closure is frustrating, it allows MDOT to finish in about three weeks instead of stretching into months of delays. 

Lake Erie Transit, which is the public bus authority in the Monroe area, said delays and detours are expected on three of its routes. The city's public safety department also said it is working with area first responder agencies about emergency response traffic routes.

Monroe County Emergency Management also sent a text alert to area residents Sept. 27 to notify them of the closures.

For information about the traffic closure, delays and detours, residents can call the City of Monroe Engineering Department at 734-384-9126.