The average daily traffic count on Eight Mile varies from 54,000 near I-94 to about 79,000 near the Lodge Freeway.

 

Aaron Whittaker, owner of GP Handyman Construction Co., said the road needs work but the project is going to cost him time and money.

 

'I'll have to circumnavigate the project to reach my suppliers, or to get to job sites, which will probably add two to three hours a job a week,' said Whittaker, whose business is in the city of Grosse Pointe.

 

'Sitting in traffic or taking the long way around adds to fuel costs, which are already very high.

 

It's just one more thing to be worried about; it makes it very tough for small businesses like mine.'

 

According to MDOT, the first section of Eight Mile to be resurfaced will be from the Lodge to I-75.

 

'We'll be closing two of the four lanes around the clock,' MDOT spokesman Rob Morosi said.

 

'There may also be times during off peak hours, such as at night or on weekends, when we'll have to take Eight Mile down to just one lane to accelerate resurfacing efforts. The second section of the project will be to resurface Eight Mile from I-75 to I-94.'

 

The project will also include repairs to the median turn lanes and upgrades to about 800 sidewalk curbs/ramps that will meet new Americans With Disability Act requirements. The resurfacing of Eight Mile -- which has been contracted to the Cadillac Asphalt Co. -- will be completed by early November while the curb/ramp upgrades will be completed in May.