Overview
- The Woodward Avenue entrance to westbound I-696 reopened Thursday at 5 p.m., giving drivers local access that had been closed since early June.
- MDOT plans to reopen the westbound I-696 exit to Woodward Avenue on Aug. 6 after 9 a.m., restoring outbound access for drivers to reach Ferndale and downtown areas.
- As crews shift work west, the Southfield Road entrance to westbound I-696 is scheduled to close July 31 after 9 a.m. and the westbound exit to Southfield Road is set to close Aug. 7 after 9 a.m.
- Local businesses and drivers report longer commutes and confusing detour signage with one employee saying commutes have grown by about 20 minutes and drivers who miss the Woodward exit may need to travel to the Orchard Lake exit roughly eight miles away.
- The ramp changes are part of MDOT’s multi-phase Restore the Reuther rebuild of I-696, which calls for westbound ramps to I-75 to reopen in late September and remaining eastbound ramps to reopen before the end of 2026, subject to construction conditions.