DETROIT'S WEST SIDE (WXYZ) — A major project is kicking off this morning that could slow drivers down. The work is to repair a sinkhole on I-96 at M-39.
Watch Ryan's report below
It popped up about two months ago on the Southfield Freeway ramps to eastbound I-96, and the Michigan Department of Transportation has been working to repair it.
This repair project is creating frustration for some drivers who certainly rely on this busy stretch of highway to get where they need to go.
Repairs begin at 9 a.m. to fix a sink hole near the ramp from northbound Southfield freeway that leads onto eastbound I-96 towards downtown Detroit.
We drove through this area and could indeed see that cones were already blocking off that ramp. That ramp will stay blocked through early March.
Drivers who use this particular stretch of highway quire frequently weighed in on the closures to us, and are disappointed about it.
“I mean, it’s definitely inconvenient," said Detroiter Teddy Kivel. "But, it’s also something I gotta do because we still gotta work. We still gotta go to school. We still gotta, I mean, life still goes on. But like, it’s very inconvenient because a lot of people are now having to spend extra time to get ready. Like put things behind and put things ahead of themselves to even get where they need to go now.”
“Things like this for some people, it might not be as big a deal. But, for people who like to travel a lot, it can really put like…it can put a hitch in a lot of plans as well," said Ypsilanti resident Lamar Ashford. "But, at the same time, it’s kind of like a…it’s a pros and cons situation because it is a danger to have a sinkhole and all that. So, I understand having to shut it down. But, it does make a lot of things more difficult.”
For now, most of the people we talked to said that while this repair work is a nuisance, they say it's better safe than sorry.
