Construction starts in early March on a major I-94 project in Berrien County.
The Michigan Department of Transportation’s Nick Schirripa tells us what’s planned is a $204 million effort to rebuild the highway between Stevensville and Benton Harbor.
“This year, rebuilding eastbound and westbound I-94 from Puetz Road to just west of Red Arrow Highway, exit 23, to Washington Avenue,” Schirripa said. “So, we’re doing eastbound and westbound, including those bridges over Red Arrow Highway at exit 23. We’ll have two lanes of traffic open in each direction, not just this year, but every year for the next three years.”
Schirripa said as part of the work this year, the Red Arrow Highway exit in Stevensville, Exit 23, will have to be closed. MDOT has not yet established a date for that part of the work.
Schirripa notes the highway dates back about 60 years and it’s time for a refresh.
“It’s an aging interstate. It’s one of the busiest interstates, believe it or not, in the country. So we need to make sure that we’re getting to it. And that’s kind of why we’re doing it this way with these large rebuilding projects that take multiple years and just getting it updated.”
Drivers should expect traffic to move slower on I-94 between Benton Harbor and Stevensville while the construction is taking place this year.
The project starts in early March and will continue all construction season. It’ll then resume next year and continue through 2026.
