The Michigan Department of Transportation offered a clear message Tuesday, while announcing $64 million of public road projects that will tie up, and back up, traffic for months starting this weekend.

Know your alternate routes — and please be patient.

"It's going to be a mess this year," MDOT spokeswoman Diane Cross said matter-of-factly. "Weekdays, heading into downtown you are going to be fine. But, on the weekends, we will have full closures. We have 25 miles worth of work."

If you are headed to the airport on I-94, plan for a multi-mile backup during rush hours. On the weekends, from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, key thoroughfares in and out of downtown will be closed.

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In short, it's going to be a very orange summer, with key roadways partly and fully closed for resurfacing and rebuilding, bridge reconstruction and rehab and plenty of detours and delays that will no doubt drive motorists mad until late November.

And that's just in Wayne County.

In the meantime, a $1-billion project is unfolding in Oakland County: updating I-75.

Why are all these projects unfolding at once? MDOT officials offered several reasons: An urgent need to repave and replace half-century-old roads and bridges, a financial imperative to spend money that is available, a desire to get it over all at once.

Here's a rundown of what to expect on I-94 construction:

I-75 to Conner Street

A few weeks ago, MDOT began rerouting bridge traffic over I-94 in this area. It plans to demolish and rebuild two crumbling bridges over the interstate — the French Road bridge and the Concord Avenue bridge, east of Mt. Elliott.

The bridges were built in the late 1950s.

Officials said construction is expected to cause minimal impact to I-94 traffic in that area, but, this weekend, expect I-94 to be closed in both directions from I-75 to Conner Street from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday to tear down the bridges.

The same section is expected to be closed again for a weekend in July. The project is expected to be finished in November at a total cost of $17.6 million.

The detour: I-75 and 8 Mile.

In addition, a high load damaged a bridge overpass beam last year at I-75 and Warren Avenue, and the damage is set to be repaired, with a southbound closure of I-75 during the last weekend in April. Cost: $300,000, which will be covered by trucking company insurance.

M-10 to I-75

This part of the project is aimed at updating I-94 and replacing the overpass bridge at Brush Street. Three lanes will remain open as traffic shifts over for repairs and upgrades, with two planned weekend closures for traffic in both directions.

The first closing is expected to be from April 12-15, and the second in the summer. From April to November, both the northbound and southbound ramps to westbound I-94 will be closed continuously.

Detours: Westbound is southbound I-75 to westbound I-96, and eastbound I-96 is to northbound I-75. For the ramp closing, the detour is northbound M-10 to westbound I-94.

Cost: $11.6 million

U.S.-12 to M-10

The project will resurface the interstate and repair six overpass bridges — three rail bridges, the 24th Street bridge, the Warren bridge, and the eastbound I-94 ramp to northbound M-10, which will be closed, likely from May to November.

In this area, eastbound I-94 will be closed for three weekends; westbound I-94, for five weekends. In addition, resurfacing and paving are expected to close lanes for four weekends.

Cost: $19.2 million.

M-39 to U.S.-12

In this area, MDOT is replacing freeway signs, and will be closing a lane mostly at night and on weekends, beginning next month or in May.

Cost: $2.1 million.

I-94 at M-39

In this stretch, one lane will be open at night and weekends for concrete repairs. Eastbound I-94 will be closed for three weekends, and westbound I-94 for four weekends.

Cost: $1.4 million.

I-275 to Telegraph Road

This area, MDOT officials acknowledged, is likely to create the biggest problems for area residents with the stretch down to two lanes on weekdays, and one land at night and on weekends.

The closures, which start in June, are likely to back up traffic for 4 miles during rush hour. People heading to Metro Airport should add to their travel times.

Cost: $12 million.

This stretch also is where an alternate route to the airport might be most helpful.

"Remember, Eureka Road has that entrance to the airport," project manager Bill Erben said. "So, anybody who wants to stay away from there, go south on I-275 to the first interchange, which is Eureka, and that's the secret back door entrance."

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

Where to get I-94 construction updates