By Jim Newell
Review Writer
Orion drivers and businesses fed up with the traffic congestion and construction on M-24, take heart: The end is in sight – almost.
Next Friday the lanes should be clear of construction.
“Nov. 18 is the open-to-traffic date. The project completion is next spring because we have tree planting to do in the spring,” said Lori Swanson, Michigan Dept. of Transportation M-24 Project Manager.
Some add-ons and unforeseen problems delayed the project slightly from the original completion date from Nov. 4.
“We had conflicts occur in the field, mainly utility conflicts, that couldn’t have been foreseen during design that we had to deal with,” Swanson said.
Overall, Swanson said MDOT has been satisfied with the Restore M-24 work and how it will benefit transportation when completed.
“The properly designed and constructed crossovers will be a significant benefit to traffic flow and also increase safety,” Swanson said.
“The new pavement will provide a smooth, quality ride for motorists.
“The elimination of direct left turns at Silverbell and Scripps will also benefit safety and traffic flow,” she said.
Orion residents can also follow the construction progress and check for updates at restorem24.com, lakeorionreview.com and The Lake Orion Review Facebook page.