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US-23 Flex Route lanes between I-96 and 8 Mile Road in Livingston County now operational

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin phasing in operations of the Flex Route lanes on US-23 between I-96 and 8 Mile Road in Livingston County beginning on Thursday, July 30. As any needed adjustments are made to the system, drivers may notice the flex lanes closed during periods of heavy congestion.

The Flex Route system is a lane control system that uses a combination of signs, cameras and electronic message boards to let drivers know when the far left shoulder (flex lane) is available as an additional lane during morning southbound and afternoon northbound peak travel periods. Flex Route technology helps manage congestion and incidents, as well as improve safety on highways that frequently experience traffic congestion during peak travel periods.

Flex Routes cost a fraction of the cost to build entirely new lanes and shoulders of freeway, along with any widening of bridges/overpasses and land purchases that would be required to accommodate such lane expansion. The outside shoulders are upgraded to satisfy federal requirements to be used as temporary (flex) lanes during periods of heavy congestion. By using the existing infrastructure to address congestion issues in an area that are not a 24/7 problem in each direction, MDOT is addressing that type of congestion in the most cost-effective manner possible.

MDOT built the first Flex Route on US-23 between M-14 and 8 Mile Road in 2016 and 2017. That work involved installing an active traffic management (ATM) lane with other safety improvements, as well as operational improvements and addressing condition needs. 

Funding for this $162 million investment is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improve the condition of the state's infrastructure.

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