The second phase of a major resurfacing project on Novi Road begins today. In this phase of the project, northbound Novi Road will be closed between 8 Mile and 9 Mile.
The nearly $7 million project will wrap up late this summer. And we know this closure will be on the minds of those who live and drive in this area. This morning, we're hearing from concerned drivers and businesses about what all this work will mean for them.
Watch Brittany's report in the video player below
Drivers say they're glad the road is being fixed, but the construction always hurts a little when trying to find the best way around it, and these northbound lanes on Novi Road will be out of commission for the next several months.
"Yeah, it's tough," said Patrick Deneau. "This whole area is already congested as it is."
"I'm actually just grateful that they're fixing things up and making Northville nice," said Katie Wright. "It's a little pain for some long term gain, so I'm down with it."
Novi Road is getting some TLC, as this is the second phase of a $6.9 million, federally-funded project, so it's time for Novi and Northville residents strap in for another few months of work.
Watch our previous coverage of this construction project
The Oakland County Road Commission is closing northbound lanes on Novi Road, between 8 and 9 Mile, while crews repave the road, reconstruct the curve between 8 Mile and Allen Drive by the Rouge River, add a continuous left lane through part of Novi Road, and improve drainage and crosswalks with new pedestrian signals and making the areas ADA-Compliant.
Progressive Dental Group is right on Novi Road in the middle of this closure. Dentist Robert Saunders said the construction might make it hard for patients coming to the office. Late arrivals can cause a backlog, and people needing emergency dental care might have to drive farther.
"People take off time from work, you know, to get here, and sometimes they have a really limited amount of time they can be here. So with the closures, we're gonna have probably gonna get behind too because patients are gonna be here late," Saunders said. "A big part of the dental business is seeing emergencies...and they're just driving around looking for somebody that can help them."
There's going to be a lot of vehicles looking for new routes, as Novi Road sees close to 14,000 drivers daily. This construction project is expected to wrap up in the late summer.
