SAGINAW -- Happy drivers are now rolling on I-675.
The interstate re-opened Wednesday, much to the delight of drivers having to find other ways of getting around it.
It's been eight months of closures for this latest road construction project on I-675, and NBC25 found drivers ecstatic about finding out it has reopened.
Fewer drivers are happier about the re-opening of I-675 than Christopher Champagne. He drives from Genesee to downtown Saginaw every day to work at the AT&T building.
"It's very exciting," says Champagne. "It's going to take about 10 minutes off my commute time."
He used to take M-46 west downtown which forced him to leave his home earlier. But now with 675 open, "
{11:14:36} "it's a nice short cut, there's no traffic lights or anything, you get off and you're downtown.
Anita Richardson, MDOT spokesperson says, "This wraps up three years of construction along I-675, and the roadway is going to be in better condition in terms of travel, and we're also going to have more access to M-13 and the downtown central business corridor."
The closure caused commuters to weave through city streets or go past the Zilwaukee Bridge and backtrack.
"It's been a little extra miles put on to get over the bridge and come back around and then back over the bridge and head back to Detroit," says Ken Nelson of Novi, who works for the printing industry.
He says he didn't see any benefit because he's not paid by the hour. "It would be nice, but I'm not." says Nelson. I'm on commission, but it works out fine. I don't mind today, it's the bad weather that makes it difficult."
In all, crews replaced six bridges, resurfaced streets, and fixed other local roads.
"Transportation is vital to business development anywhere and so in order to grow a region or an area, you're going to want to pay attention to transportation," says Richardson.
For Chris Champagne, it's extra transportation he doesn't have to pay for.
M-DOT says there will still be some lane closures throughout the area and the 5th and 6th Street exits and on-ramps downtown will still be closed for cleaning.
