Flint’s I-75/I-69 Interchange is Falling Apart and Could Cost $1.3B

Anyone who drives through Flint knows the I-75/I-69 interchange can get busy and jammed up from time to time. Well, it seems that should be the least of anyone's concerns, as MDOT says the whole thing is in serious need of a rebuild with a massive price tag of about $1.3 billion. Yes, billion with a b.

The problem really just comes down to age. Most of Michigan’s bridges were built in the 1950s with a lifespan of about 50 to 60 years. They’ve far outlived that, and it shows.

At the Flint interchange, eight bridges are already in poor or serious condition, including the northbound I-75 flyover ramp to westbound I-69.

That ramp alone carries about 9,000 cars a day and is considered to be in “serious” shape. I’ve always felt a little uneasy taking that ramp; now, I feel like I should just avoid it altogether.

There’s a $5.5 million deck replacement planned for 2030, but even MDOT says that’s just a temporary fix. If the ramp has to close, traffic through the area will get ugly fast, and the villagers will riot.

And Flint isn’t the only place in trouble. MDOT warns that more than 100 state bridges could be forced to shut down by 2035 if lawmakers don’t come up with a long-term funding plan. That would hit nearly two million drivers every day. Do nothing, and the roads are only going to get worse, construction jobs will dry up, and everyone in Michigan will end up feeling it.

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The Flint interchange is just one example of what’s ahead if Michigan doesn’t get serious about fixing its roads and bridges.