Southfield commuters face months of I-696 ramp restrictions near the city

Southfield-area commuters should expect several separate I-696 ramp restrictions to remain in place during August and into the fall. The closures are part of the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Restore the Reuther project. As of August 4, 2026, the official schedule separates active closures from restrictions expected later in the summer.

MDOT’s detours are route guidance, not a guarantee of travel times or traffic conditions. Work-zone schedules can change, so drivers should check current conditions before leaving.

Reaching Lahser, Telegraph Road or M-10

Westbound I-696 Exit 10 remains closed through the summer. The shared ramp serves Lahser Road, US-24, also known as Telegraph Road, and M-10/Northwestern Highway.

Drivers whose trips normally use Exit 10 will need to plan another approach to those Southfield-area destinations. MDOT identifies the closure but does not publish one replacement route that fits every local destination.

Using I-75 from westbound I-696

At the I-696/I-75 interchange, the westbound I-696 ramp to southbound I-75 is closed through late summer. MDOT lists a detour using southbound M-53, or Van Dyke Avenue, and westbound M-102, or 8 Mile Road, to southbound I-75.

The westbound I-696 ramp to northbound I-75 is also closed through late summer. The listed detour is northbound M-53, or Van Dyke Avenue, to westbound M-59 and then northbound I-75.

These restrictions affect specific connections rather than every ramp in the corridor. The northbound and southbound I-75 ramps to eastbound I-696 remain open, according to MDOT.

Entering westbound I-696 from I-75

The northbound and southbound I-75 ramps to westbound I-696 are closed through late summer. MDOT’s listed detour is westbound M-102, or 8 Mile Road, followed by northbound M-10 to westbound I-696.

Drivers should check the intended direction before entering the interchange because the available movements differ between westbound and eastbound I-696.

Southfield Road and Woodward timing

The westbound I-696 entrance ramp from Southfield Road, Exit 12, is listed as a later closure—not as the current Exit 10 summer closure. MDOT’s schedule places that restriction from late summer through the fall.

Woodward is a separate phase. MDOT lists the westbound I-696 M-1/Woodward Avenue Exit 16 ramp as scheduled for closure from late May through late summer. WDIV/ClickOnDetroit reported that the Woodward-area restriction was expected to continue through mid-August.

For Southfield-area trips, that means Woodward-related access should be treated as restricted through mid-August, while the Southfield Road westbound entrance ramp is a separate later closure expected to extend into fall.

One longer eastbound restriction

Eastbound I-696 remains closed and detoured between M-10 and I-75 through late 2026. MDOT says westbound I-696 traffic near the I-75 interchange has been shifted onto the newly rebuilt eastbound side.

Before leaving, check MDOT’s Mi Drive travel-information service for the latest work-zone status. The posted schedule distinguishes between closures lasting through summer, late summer, mid-August and the later-summer-through-fall period, so the exact movement and date matter for each trip.

Sources

• MDOT closure and detour notice for westbound I-696
• WDIV report on Woodward-area I-696 ramp closures

Related News

• La Prada Drive Traffic Pattern Listed Through November in Mesquite
• I-80 and I-55 Interchange Ramp Changes Remain in Effect in Joliet
• Reno road work is underway across three areas, with completion targeted for August 31
• Tracy-Area Gas Prices Ease While Diesel Rises in AAA Check