The Michigan Department of Transportation is advising drivers that there will be a traffic change on M-51 in Niles starting this week.
Spokesperson Nick Schirripa tells us this is due to the ongoing rebuild of the US-12 and M-51 interchange. They’re moving into the next phase of the project.
“In order to do so, we have to build an additional link,” Schirripa said. “So, we are detouring southbound M51 between north of US-12. I want to say it’s M-60 Business Route and US-12. So, southbound will be detoured in one lane of northbound M-51. North of US-12 will be open. Then south of US-12, we’ll still have one lane open in each direction.”
So, that’s M-51 reduced to one northbound lane with southbound traffic being totally detoured starting Wednesday of this week. Schirripa says this will continue for about a month.
Curb and sidewalk work has been completed along southbound M-51, new traffic signal foundations have been installed, and curb work has been completed along the new lanes of westbound US-12. Work being completed on M-51 under this new traffic pattern will include pavement removal, excavation, base replacement, drainage improvements, concrete patching, and paving operations.
This work will be completed at the same time as the work along US-12. The overall project is a $27 million investment that should be finished in October.
