OKEMOS - Last week, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) had invested $483,000 to install the I-96 median guardrail that extends from the South Hagadorn Road to the Okemos Rest Area. As the structure along the eastbound lanes is complete, the Westbound rail is estimated for completion between June 25 - 28, 2021.

The guardrails were constructed as a safety measure to protect motorists and vehicles on the Interstate by providing traffic delineation and protection against vehicular loss of control. The beams are an MGS-8 Type of guardrails constructed from lightweight steel poles, woodblocks, and steel rails that ought to withstand vehicle collisions in most circumstances.

“This guardrail system is tested to the most current mash of the TL3 Standard, with the configuration out there having limited shoulder space and limited median space, guardrail system like this has a shorter deflection area, so if a vehicle is to impact the guardrail, it won’t be deflected back into traffic,” said the Assistant Construction Engineer Christopher Gembel.

Gembel stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had worked to the department’s advantage for the past nine months as it elevated some of the traffic for road development projects, hence why the construction season went so smoothly.

Later this year, MDOT is planning to work on multiple road construction projects. The first is the signal reconfiguration on the M-43 and Dobie Rd alongside the installation of left-hand turn phasing and hemispherical video detection systems.

In addition to repairing the Williamston Road bridge project that was hit earlier this summer and had a vehicle catch fire under it, the bridge is going under construction later this July.