Two-year Rochester Road project in Metro Detroit to begin in 2027. Here's what you need to know.
A two-year reconstruction project is set to break ground along another stretch of Rochester Road in Rochester Hills, Michigan, starting next year.
The work will take place along a five-mile stretch on Rochester Road from M-59 up to Tienken.
"What a mess. It's going to be a mess. It'll be worth it once it gets done," said Rochester Hills resident Rick Hart.
The $40 million project is through the Michigan Department of Transportation. Crews will resurface the stretch of road, put in new storm sewers to alleviate flooding, fix curbs, gutters and sidewalks, and add a walkway over the bridge on M-59.
It's a project, MDOT Projects & Contracts Engineer David Anason says, that is long overdue.
"The pavement life has reached the end of its service life. It's just time to do a big project to get it all fixed so it will last another twenty, thirty years," Anason said.
Anason says the project will be broken up into two parts. In 2027, work will take place on Rochester Road from M-59 to the Clinton River bridge. Then, in 2028, road work will resume on Rochester Road from the Paint Creek bridge up to Tienken.
Good news, though, Anason tells CBS News Detroit that downtown Rochester is spared.
"Downtown was under construction in 2012 and that still looks pretty good," said Anason.
With road work, it brings bumper to bumper traffic. It's a nightmare for local businesses, including Ram's Horn, which sits at the busy intersection of Hamlin and Rochester Road. Owner Gregory Thomas says he's already dreading the construction.
"Definitely not looking forward to it. It's going to have an impact. What that impact is, we don't know. We'll be so glad when it's done so we can have our traffic back," Thomas said.
Anason says that though this project is an inconvenience for many, MDOT plans to work with businesses to ensure a smooth process.
"Trying to be as sensitive to the businesses as possible. All of the businesses will be open during the construction. They'll all have access. They'll be detours involved, and there'll be plenty of signs where people will know where to go," said Anason.
To learn more about the project, MDOT is holding two public meetings to answer any questions the community might have.
The first meeting is on Tuesday, July 21, from 5-7 p.m. at the Rochester Fire Department, 277 E. Second Street, in Rochester.
The second meeting is next Thursday, July 30, from 5-7 p.m. at the Rochester Hills Department of Public Services Facility located at 511 E. Auburn Road in Rochester Hills.
