Latest Update:
July 6, 2023 8:35 AM
ORCHARD LAKE RESURFACING COMMERCE TO MIDDLEBELT, START DATE PUSHED TO MONDAY, JULY 10; NORTHBOUND/EASTBOUND LANES TO BE CLOSED FOR 35 DAYS
Beverly Hills, MI – The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) has pushed back the start date of the Orchard Lake resurfacing and safety-improvement project, from south of Commerce Road to west of Middlebelt Road in with West Bloomfield Township, Orchard Lake Village, Keego Harbor and Sylvan Lake, from today, July 6, to Monday, July 10 due to weather.
Once the project starts, the schedule will remain the same: During the first 35 days of construction, Commerce Road will be closed at Orchard Lake Road and northbound/eastbound Orchard Lake Road will close to traffic from Commerce Road south to Rycroft St. but will remain open to southbound/westbound traffic in that section and north of Commerce Road. Commerce Road will re-open within 35 days, but the section of northbound/eastbound Orchard Lake Road between Rycroft and Commerce will re-open to two-way traffic by Labor Day.
The detours routes during the closures are:
- For northbound/eastbound Orchard Lake traffic (until approximately Labor Day): Long Lake Road to Middlebelt Road and back to Orchard Lake Road.
- For Commerce Road traffic (for the first 35 days of the project): Commerce Road to Hiller Road to Cooley Lake Road to Cass-Elizabeth Road to Cass Lake Road, back to Orchard Lake Road and vice versa.
This project will cost approximately $4.8 million and will be paid for mostly by RCOC, with contributions from West Bloomfield Twp., Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Sylvan Lake and Oakland County general government (through the Tri-Party Program).
The 1.4 miles project includes:
- Converting the road to three through lanes (two westbound/southbound and one eastbound/northbound) with a continuous center left-turn lane.
- Reconstruction of the section from south of Rycroft St. to Commerce Road, including drainage improvements at the Commerce intersection.
- Milling (grinding off existing pavement) on the rest of the road and resurfacing with asphalt.
- Isolated side street-approach reconstruction.
- Repairs to curbs and gutters.
- Upgrades to pedestrian crossings to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Access will be maintained at all times to all businesses along Orchard Lake Road during the project. The Road Commission reminds motorists to use caution in work zones, especially when workers are present.
The contractor for the project is Cadillac Asphalt of Farmington Hills. This section of Orchard Lake Road carries approximately 52,300 vehicles daily.
For more information on the Orchard Lake Road project, visit the Orchard Lake Road, Commerce to Middlebelt, page in the “Road Projects” section of the RCOC website, www.rcocweb.org. (Direct link: https://www.rcocweb.org/598/Orchard-Lake-Road-Commerce-to-Middlebelt.)
For question about the project, contact RCOC through any of the following means: