The reconstruction of I-96 between Chilson Road and Dorr Road marks a major investment by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in one of Michigan’s most heavily traveled freeway corridors, located between Grand Rapids and Detroit. This 3.7-mile stretch carries more than 75,000 vehicles each day, making construction progress both highly visible and essential for commuters statewide.
While the broader project includes design and planning, this overview focuses solely on the construction phase, which began with preparation work in fall 2024 and continues through 2026.
A Two-Season Reconstruction Strategy
The construction phase is occurring across two primary seasons, with final restoration planned for spring 2027:
- 2024: Building temporary pavement; improvements to westbound I-96 to handle 2025 detour traffic
- 2025: Reconstruction of eastbound I-96
- 2026: Reconstruction of westbound I-96, with all traffic shifted to the newly completed eastbound pavement
- Spring 2027: Final cleanup, restoration, and landscaping
Before major reconstruction could begin, crews constructed temporary traffic crossovers. These crossovers allow both directions of travel to shift onto one side of the freeway while the opposite side is fully rebuilt, an important step for maintaining traffic flow on a heavily traveled Michigan route.
As Clark Dietz Project Manager, Shawn Kraus, PE, explained: “On some big jobs like this, the main construction work occurs during the two seasons, but there’s usually preparation work in the fall before construction starts.”
Working on a corridor this busy presents significant daily challenges.
“It’d be like working on a road near Chicago,” said Construction Inspector Jim Fleming. “You cut the capacity by half, and it creates all kinds of traffic issues. This is one of those projects where you must get it done as fast as you can so traffic can go back to normal.”
Rubblizing: A Rare Technique on a Michigan Freeway
A defining feature of this project is the use of rubblizing, a method that breaks the existing concrete pavement into small, interlocked pieces that remain in place as the foundation for the new asphalt roadway.
While rubblizing is common on rural roads in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, it is rarely used on a major freeway. This made the I-96 reconstruction particularly unique among Michigan projects.
Complex Concepts Understood: Rubblizing
Rubblizing is a pavement rehabilitation method that breaks existing concrete pavement into small, interlocked pieces that remain in place as a base for new asphalt. According to the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, fracturing the concrete eliminates rigid slab behavior and helps prevent reflective cracking in the asphalt surface. APAI notes that while rubblizing can deliver performance similar to full reconstruction at a lower cost, careful evaluation and construction oversight are essential to address potential settlement from underlying voids.
Jim described its purpose: “The reason for doing that was because it saved millions of dollars from a total reconstruct, and they’re hoping they can get close to the same life expectancy out of the asphalt.”
However, they encountered unexpected challenges. Once the pavement was rubblized, underlying voids caused some portions to settle. Additional materials were needed to correct grades, and paving crews faced slope inconsistencies that required re-milling in several locations.
“They had hoped it would just break up and stay at the same grade, but in some areas, it dropped 5 to 6 inches,” Shawn said. “Then, they ran into problems paving because the crushed material didn’t match the required slopes.”
Even with these complications, rubblizing remains this project’s most innovative and cost-effective construction strategies.
Construction Inspection and HMA Sampling
Clark Dietz provided key construction-phase services, including:
- Construction inspection
- Hot-mix asphalt (HMA) sampling
Inspectors remained on site throughout the season to observe rubblizing operations, monitor paving progress, collect asphalt samples, and ensure contractor compliance with MDOT specifications.
This required considerable field presence. Shawn noted the dedication Jim brought to the job: “Jim was basically a rock star out there this year. He worked crazy shifts to get this job done.”
Working on a Corridor Michigan Depends On
For both Shawn and Jim, contributing to such a prominent Michigan freeway reconstruction carried real significance.
“It’s really cool when you get to work on infrastructure that everybody knows and drives,” Shawn said. “There’s a sense of pride when someone says, ‘Oh, I drove through that project,’ and you can say you were part of it.”
For Jim, a senior inspector, the project stood out for its use of rubblizing on a freeway, a rare occurrence in the state: “It was nice to inspect something I’ve never inspected before. On the first day they were rubblizing, there were probably 10 to 12 people from MDOT Lansing out there watching. It was a big deal. I just hope I get out there again this coming year.”
As the project moves into the 2026 season, crews will shift to rebuilding the westbound lanes and work toward restoring full capacity to this essential Michigan corridor.
Questions? Contact Clark Dietz Project Manager, Shawn Kraus, PE.
