Roundabout project starts in July

ROUNDABOUT PROJECT AT 14 MILE/NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY WILL START IN JULY, BE COMPLETED IN 2015

Beverly Hills, Mich. — The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) has compiled a preliminary schedule for the reconstruction of the 14 Mile Road/Orchard Lake Road/Northwestern Highway “triangle” project on the West Bloomfield Township/Farmington Hills border: The project, which will include a roundabout the 14 Mile/Orchard Lake intersection, is now expected to start in July of this year and be completed in 2015

RCOC officials had originally planned to complete the bulk of the work on the project in 2014. However, the complex legal process required to acquire the necessary right of way delayed the planned start of project by several months, meaning the project cannot be completed by the end of the 2014 construction season.

[su_highlight background=”#fffe99″]As a result, RCOC now plans to realign 14 Mile Road east of Northwestern Highway and construct new crossovers on Northwestern Highway at the point where the realigned 14 Mile Road will intersect Northwestern in 2014.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#fffe99″]While 14 Mile is being realigned east of Northwestern Highway, it will be completely closed just east of Northwestern Highway. The realigned Fourteen Mile will curve south and intersect Northwestern Highway south of the current intersection.[/su_highlight]

In 2015, RCOC will construct the 14 Mile/Orchard Lake Road roundabout and reconstruct Orchard Lake Road from the roundabout north several hundred feet.

“While we had hoped to complete the construction in 2014,” stated RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar, “the right of way acquisition process is very extensive and is governed by strict state and federal laws. Sometimes it simply takes longer than any of us would prefer.”

Work on Phase 1 is expected to be completed in November. Work on Phase 2 will start in early spring 2015.