Area drivers may have thought they had until this coming spring to travel M-24 unimpeded. Guess again. Last

week, construction barrels and a new electronic sign announced “southbound M-24 Lane Closures” starting “Nov. 4,” Monday.

The preliminary work starting this week will probably last until the end of this year, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Diane Cross. The work started earlier this week includes the relocation of utility lines. AT &T, Consumers Energy and DTE need to have the relocation of their lines completed before the $23.5 million M-24 project can commence in earnest.

The project is slated to begin in March 2020 and finish by December 2020. It will stretch from Goldengate St. in Orion Township, north to Harriet St., located just north of Oxford Village in the township.

According to Cross, there will be north and southbound traffic while the utilities are relocated, however when the real project starts, traffic flow will be different. Current plans, she said, “Have southbound traffic to stay on M-24 and northbound detoured to Drahner, Glaspie, Oxford, to Ray. Access will be maintained to all businesses, but some of it will be from the back parking lots and alleys.”