I-75 Modernization Segment 3 DBFM
Location: From North of M-102 (8 Mile Road) to North of 13 Mile Road - Oakland
Concrete Contractor: Ajax Paving Industries
Prime Contractor: Dan's Excavating
Design Engineer: WSP
Design Engineer: AECOM
Project Owner: Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)
QC Consultant: CT Consultants
MDOT has now reconstructed nearly 18 miles of I-75 between M-102 (Eight Mile Road) and South Boulevard in Oakland County. MDOT has rebuilt the freeway for the first time since it was originally constructed in the 1960s to early 1970s. The construction was performed in three segments, with Segment 3 now complete from north of M-102 (8 Mile Road) to north of 13 Mile Road.
Along with the reconstruction of the travel lanes, MDOT has replaced bridges and added an additional lane in each direction that will serve as a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane during the morning and afternoon peak hours, Monday through Friday. HOV lanes require two or more people in the vehicle using the lane. At all other times, it will serve as a general-use lane. To support the use of the HOV lane, new carpool lots will be developed and the existing carpool lot will be enhanced.
Safety upgrades include modernizing interchanges and geometrics improvements, such as separating movements at the I-696 / I-75 northbound interchange from the I-75 northbound exit to 11 Mile Road and reconfiguring interchanges at 12 Mile, 14 Mile, and Big Beaver into Diverging Diamond Interchanges (DDI).
Segment 3 consists of complete pavement reconstruction, modernization of the freeway, ITS upgrades, and replacement of 28 bridges (22 vehicle overpasses and ramps and 6 pedestrian structures). Additionally, the project constructed a 14-foot diameter drainage tunnel from 8 Mile Road to 12 Mile Road to separate and control stormwater to and from the local stormwater system to mitigate future flooding concerns.
This $1.4 Billion project was delivered through a 30-year design-build-finance-maintain availability payment concession that combines what would have been 5 construction segments under design-bid-build and traditional finance methods into one segment and accelerated the completion date by 12 years.
The DBFM procurement allowed for the flexibility to fund the project with availability payments spread out over 30 years, enabling additional investments in other parts of the transportation system. This procurement model requires the concessionaire to perform preventative maintenance along the project segment for 25 years after construction completion, ensuring reliable asset condition.
Segment 3 included approximately 470,000 square yards of 11-inch, non-reinforced mainline concrete pavement and shoulder and approximately 220,000 square yards of 10-inch, non-reinforced mainline concrete pavement and shoulder.
Year one (2019) of the project was used for design. Construction was completed in years two through five (2020 through 2023). The project was constructed in quarters, starting with northbound from 8 Mile to the I-696 interchange in year 2; Southbound from I-696 to 8 Mile in year 3; Northbound from I-696 to 13 Mile in year 4; and Southbound from 13 Mile to I-696 in year 5. Each quadrant was completed from March 1 to Nov 15 except for year 5, which was substantially completed ahead of schedule on August 31, 2023
