WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Michigan Department of Transportation officials said work to rebuild 2.7 miles of eastbound I-94 between Lovers Lane and Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo County has been delayed by a couple months, pushing back the reopening date for the eastbound lanes.
The two-year, $87 million project still is on track for completion in mid-November 2022, but the original plan to reopen the newly rebuilt eastbound I-94 lanes and bridge over Portage Road has been moved to Jan. 31.
MDOT officials said engineers and contractors made the decision to delay work on the bridge and redesign its beams over safety concerns with the beams’ stability during bridge fabrication.
While work has continued on the new alignment of Kilgore Road to the east of Portage Road, numerous delays have repeatedly pushed the completion date back. Delays with utilities, limited and delayed access to Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport property, delays getting building materials, and delays caused by COVID all have slowed work.
Contractors currently are aiming to have the new Kilgore Road reopened by Nov. 1.
