Eastbound Interstate 94 between I-275 and Wayne Road drops to one lane from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, for a traffic shift. Both I-275 ramps to eastbound I-94 close during those hours, and the eastbound exit to Wayne Road shuts from Oct. 31 through July 2027, with traffic detoured to Vining Road at Exit 197.
Southbound Middle Belt Road stays at one lane near I-94 into early November, and the eastbound I-94 ramp to Middle Belt is closed over the same stretch. A multi-vehicle crash with injuries closed I-94 at Greenfield Road in Dearborn on Oct. 28, and state police said all lanes reopened that evening. MDOT says the rebuild east of I-275 will last a few more years and points airport drivers to I-275 and Eureka Road.
Why it matters
One lane on Middle Belt and a closed airport ramp cost minutes through early November, and a single crash can shut the whole I-94 corridor.
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Key Indicators
Reopened Sept 28
Ramp reopened on schedule
EB I-94 to NB M-10 ramp reopened after the two-week closure, no extension announced.
1 lane
Southbound Middle Belt through early November
Southbound Middle Belt near I-94 stays down to one open lane into early November; the eastbound I-94 ramp to Middle Belt is closed over the same stretch.
Oct 31
EB I-94 one lane at I-275
Eastbound I-94 from I-275 to Wayne Road is down to one lane 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31 for a traffic shift, with both I-275 ramps to eastbound I-94 closed.
July 2027
Wayne Road exit closed
The eastbound I-94 exit to Wayne Road closes Oct. 31 and stays closed through July 2027; traffic detours to Vining Road at Exit 197.
Reopened
I-94 in Dearborn cleared after crash
A multi-vehicle crash with injuries closed I-94 at Greenfield Road on Oct. 28; state police said all lanes reopened that evening.
I-275 to Eureka
MDOT's airport route
With I-94 restrictions continuing for a few more years, MDOT suggests drivers take I-275 to Eureka Road to reach Detroit Metro Airport.
13 miles
Project length
I-94 reconstruction from I-275 to US-12 across six communities.
$353M
Project investment
MDOT's investment in the Restore I-94 rebuild.
Mid-2029
Full project completion
The nearly $353 million rebuild is scheduled to run through mid-2029; traffic stays on temporary barrier-separated lanes until mid-2027.
Oct 23
M-39 ramp reopening listed
MDOT listed the northbound M-39 (Southfield Freeway) ramp to eastbound I-94 for reopening October 23; no announcement has confirmed it reopened.
Mid-Nov
Vining ramp to EB I-94 closed
MDOT's Oct. 23 road watch lists the Vining Road ramp to eastbound I-94 as closed until mid-November.
Summer 2028
Gate 10 ramp closure
Gate 10 ramp to westbound I-94 stays closed until Summer 2028.
15 events
Latest: October 31st, 2026 · 1 week ago
Showing 8 of 15
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June 2027
Temporary lane configuration scheduled to end
UpcomingConstruction
Traffic is expected to shift back to permanent I-94 alignment around mid-2027.
October 2026
EB I-94 traffic shift closes I-275 ramps and Wayne Road exit
LatestConstruction
Eastbound I-94 from I-275 to Wayne Road was down to one lane from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a traffic shift, with both I-275 ramps to eastbound I-94 closed. The eastbound I-94 exit to Wayne Road closed and stays shut through July 2027, with traffic detoured to Vining Road at Exit 197.
Crash closes I-94 through Dearborn
Safety
A multi-vehicle crash around 3 p.m. blocked I-94 in both directions at Greenfield Road and all westbound lanes at Schaefer Highway. State police said it involved injuries and reopened all lanes that evening.
MDOT: I-94 work east of I-275 to last a few more years
Construction
MDOT's Diane Cross said traffic runs two lanes each way on the westbound side of I-94 while crews rebuild pavement, bridges and ramps. She said the project will continue for another couple of years and suggested I-275 to Eureka Road for airport trips.
Vining and Wayne Road ramps to I-94 remain closed
Construction
MDOT's weekly road watch lists the Vining Road ramp to eastbound I-94 closed until mid-November and the Wayne Road ramp to westbound I-94 closed until 2027.
Middle Belt lane limits begin near I-94
Construction
Utility work on Middle Belt at I-94 started a day late. Both directions dropped to one lane for the day, the southbound Middle Belt ramp to eastbound I-94 closed, and southbound Middle Belt stays at one lane through early November.
Ecorse Road scheduled to reopen
Construction
Ecorse Road was scheduled to reopen under I-94 at 6 PM October 9 after bridge beam setting; MDOT's closure list still showed it closed as of October 10.
Ecorse Road closes under I-94 for beam setting
Construction
Ecorse Road closes under I-94 in Taylor through October 9 while crews set bridge beams as part of Restore I-94.
September 2026
Beech Daly Road closes under I-94
Construction
Beech Daly Road closed under I-94 from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 for bridge beam setting as part of Restore I-94. Ecorse Road followed, closing Oct. 5 to Oct. 9.
Ramp reopens on schedule
Construction
MDOT reopened the EB I-94/NB M-10 ramp after the two-week closure, with no extension announced.
EB I-94 to NB M-10 ramp closes
Construction
Michigan DOT shuts the ramp for two weeks of interchange work in Detroit.
Inkster Road and M-39 ramp closures start
Construction
Inkster Road under I-94 closes through September 11; SB M-39 to EB I-94 ramp closes into late October.
Work zone crash count reported
Safety
MDOT data showed about 300 crashes between I-275 and US-12 from February through August, roughly 1.5 a day. Crews added concrete barriers and glare screens, widened lanes and cut the speed limit from 70 mph to 60 mph.
August 2026
Traffic pattern shift takes effect
Construction
EB I-94 from east of I-275 to west of US-12 moves into shared, barrier-separated lanes until mid-2027.
July 2026
EB I-94 traffic shift begins near I-275
Construction
Crews move eastbound I-94 onto the original westbound lanes, two lanes each direction.
Scenarios
1
I-94/M-10 ramp reopens on schedule September 28
Deadline passed (Sep 28, 2026)
Discussed by: MDOT published closure schedule
The two-week closure ran as planned. Crews finished the interchange work on time and MDOT's MiDrive map dropped the ramp from its closed list by September 28, with no extension announced.
2
Restore I-94 completes on schedule by end of 2027
Possible
Resolves by End of 2027
Discussed by: MDOT project timeline
MDOT said in late October 2026 that the I-94 work east of I-275 would continue for a few more years. If the rebuild finishes on the schedule the agency has published, the full 13 miles opens without another extension.
3
Weather or supply issues push Restore I-94 into 2028
Uncertain
Resolves by Q1 2028
Discussed by: Local traffic reporting on prior MDOT projects
Weather delays, utility conflicts or material shortages force MDOT to extend the timeline. Major closures and lane shifts continue past the original 2027 target, and MDOT formally revises the completion date into 2028.
4
Middle Belt stays at one lane past early November
Possible
Resolves by Nov 15, 2026
Discussed by: MDOT construction bulletin
MDOT says the southbound Middle Belt lane limit lasts through early November, and the start of the utility work already slipped a day. A later reopening would leave airport traffic on detours longer.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 2
2017-2023
I-75 Modernization, Detroit (2017-2023)
MDOT rebuilt roughly 15 miles of I-75 through Detroit, one of the most-traveled freeway stretches in the state. Crews used lane shifts, overnight closures and phased ramp shutdowns for years, mirroring the Restore I-94 playbook.
Then
Drivers faced years of lane shifts, closures and heavy congestion in a work zone through the city.
Now
The project set the standard for how MDOT manages multi-year urban freeway rebuilds with staged closures.
Why this matters now
I-75 showed Detroit drivers what Restore I-94 now brings: phased ramps, temporary lanes and years of disruption before the finished freeway opens.
2 of 2
1940s-1950s
Original I-94 (Edsel Ford Freeway) construction, 1940s-1950s
Michigan built the Edsel Ford Freeway, named for the Ford Motor Company president, as part of the state's postwar freeway boom. It became one of Detroit's main east-west arteries, with interchanges like the M-10 Lodge connection.
Then
The new freeways reshaped Detroit travel and development patterns across the metro area.
Now
Seven decades later, that original pavement and those bridges are the aging infrastructure Restore I-94 now replaces.
Why this matters now
The corridor being rebuilt this decade is the same one opened in the 1950s, explaining why the rebuild is so extensive.
