Road Project Updates

News Update

 Starting in November there will be intermittent lane closures along M-24 as the utility companies work on their infrastructure in preparation for the project.

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Segment 1

Segment 2A

Segment 2B

As you’re likely aware, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) M-24 Road Construction Project is set to break ground in 2020. There may be times during the construction project that we feel like the entire downtown area is one large construction zone, but there are things we can do now to “survive and thrive during construction.”

Read our Preparing for Construction Report

M-24 Road Construction Project


What’s Going On?

Washington Street in the Village of Oxford serves as a portion of Michigan State Highway 24, more commonly known as M-24. This highway, part of the national truck network, is a major arterial thoroughfare for connecting people, places, and businesses from all corners of Michigan. Oxford’s prominent location along this major highway has helped make downtown Oxford a central commercial hub for over 100 years. In fact, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), 30,000 vehicles travel through downtown Oxford on a daily basis, accounting for more than 10,000,000 vehicles each year.

Why Now?
With all of this traffic, Washington Street, and much of M-24 has been worn down, and is in need of repair. With this in mind, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has decided to completely reconstruct the sections of M-24 that runs through downtown in the coming years. The last time that M-24 was completely reconstructed was nearly 100 years ago, making this literally a once in a century opportunity to redevelop the core of downtown, and shape the future of the entire Oxford community.

In an effort to take advantage of this opportunity, the Village of Oxford, the Oxford Downtown Development Authority, and the Michigan Department of Transportation have joined forces to plan, fund, and execute the reconstruction of the road, and develop a unique and transformative pedestrian streetscape that will frame the downtown district; benefiting each and every member of the Oxford community, and the millions of people who visit our community each year.

Who is Coordinating and Paying for These Projects?
The Michigan Department of Transportation is responsible for the maintenance of M-24, include all of Washington Street within the Village limits. MDOT will be coordinating, and completely funding the four-mile M-24 Road Reconstruction project, valued at an estimated $25,000,000 investment.

The Michigan Department of Transportation will also contribute just under $1.2 million to the Streetscape Improvement project through construction credit s and a potential Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant. To obtain this grant, the Village of Oxford has agreed to match grant funds in the amount of $259,000 to the Streetscape Improvement project, the Village and the Oxford DDA will also contribute $658,000 in additional infrastructure improvements and engineering for a total investment of nearly $2.1 million into the infrastructure of our community.

When is this Happening?
The projects will take place in 2020. The projects are expected to begin in March, and run through November. Construction will be done daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where is this Happening?
The portion of the M-24 Road Construction project that will take place in the Village will run from Drahner Road just south of downtown, all the way north to Harriet Street, just north of the Village. The proposed Streetscaping Improvement project will run from Minnetonka Drive to First Street.

Because this is a comprehensive road and streetscape reconstruction, much of M-24 will be difficult to traverse, and there will be detours implemented to help move traffic around the construction. Detour routes have been established  and a link to the map is available on the previous page.

Additional Information
Construction can be disruptive for businesses and individuals alike, and the Oxford DDA has made it a priority to support its community throughout the construction process. Make no mistake about it though, Downtown Oxford will continue to be a thriving place to live, play, and stay; even with the temporary construction. The Oxford DDA will host a variety of special events and promotions to support the downtown district, and we encourage our community to make visiting downtown a priority.

In an effort to ensure that each and every individual that could be impacted by these projects are informed, the Oxford DDA will be consistently publicizing information via its website, social media, and through press releases as that information becomes available. Once the project begins, please be sure to look for construction updates, detours, and additional timeline updates from the Oxford DDA.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to be involved with the project development processes, please contact Glenn Pape at 248-770-8587, or via e-mail at dda@thevillageofoxford.org. This is a transformative opportunity for the entire Oxford community, and we encourage you to connect with the Oxford DDA and be a part of this transformation.