Overview
The I-96 Flex Route moves the needle on transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) in Michigan by delivering measurable reliability gains, meaningful travel time reductions, and safer incident and work zone operations. This was achieved through a cohesive active traffic management (ATM) strategy. The project’s outcomes are quantified, its challenges transparent, and its lessons learned from device health monitoring to enforcement and public education are already shaping next-generation TSMO deployments statewide. The I-96 Flex Route is more than a project; it’s a platform for the future of freeway operations.
In this case study you will learn:
- Why converting an existing freeway inside shoulder into a dynamically managed flex lane can improve travel time reliability and safety without widening the roadway
- How MDOT integrated lane control signs, dynamic message signs, ramp metering, and variable speed advisories into a single actively managed corridor operated from one traffic operations center
- How MDOT measured outcomes — including a 41 percent eastbound travel time reliability improvement and a 37 percent reduction in overall corridor crashes — and applied the lessons learned to future TSMO deployments statewide