The I-96 construction project is ahead of schedule.

Jeff Horne, a transportation engineer for thesaid Friday that the department anticipates reopening I-96 as soon as late September. The scheduled completion date had been Oct. 11.

“There is still a lot of work left to do so it’s difficult to pinpoint a date, but all indications at this time point to an early opening,” Horne said.

The construction project has closed the seven-mile stretch of I-96 from Telegraph Road to Newburgh Road since April to bring the freeway up to current safety standards, which includes road restructuring, and repairing 37 bridges and on and off ramps.

Funding for the $148 million project has been 80 percent from federal sources and 20 percent from the state, 12.5 percent of which is paid for by the city of Livonia.

The main contractor for the project is Shelby Township-based, who has hired more than 35 subcontractors to work on the project.

Horne said contractors will receive a $150,000 bonus daily up to $4.5 million if they finish early, and if it takes longer to finish, contractors will be penalized the same amount daily for an unlimited amount of days.

For details about the construction project including alternative routes visit www.96fix.com

Anjana Schroeder: [email protected] Twitter: @anjanaschroeder