Flashback- Squirrel Road is One Lane (Again!)

Construction on Squirrel Road between Chrysler Drive and Walton Boulevard has certainty created some commuting challenges in recent days. We do apologize for the inconvenience; unfortunately, the orange barrels are a necessary part of maintaining our local roads.

Motorists have commented that the condition of that particular section of road is not too bad and question why the work is necessary. While we did resurface Squirrel Road 7 years ago, there is maintenance that is required to protect that initial investment. The concrete panels that are being replaced have cracked, which allows rain and moisture into and under the panel leading to accelerated deterioration at the subsurface level. This maintenance effort was anticipated and will continue to occur from time-to-time to continue to preserve this road.

While considering how much of a burden reducing Squirrel Road down to one lane in each direction has been for our commuters, I couldn’t help but think back to my early days here at Auburn Hills. When my career began here 30 years ago, Squirrel Road was a dirt road between the City Campus and Featherstone Drive. As a matter of fact, there were actually a couple sections that would only allow one car to pass through at a time, so you had to pull off to one side and wait as opposing traffic passed. If that was not bad enough, several times a winter we would have to close, Squirrel Road altogether during snow events to prevent cars from becoming stuck in a valley between two hills that were nearly impossible to negotiate during slippery conditions.

There is no questioning that the traffic demand on today’s Squirrel Road is significantly higher than the traffic volumes of 30 years ago, but the one-lane does serve as a flashback to a time long ago. So today (and for the next few weeks) Squirrel Road is once again one lane.
In closing, we apologize for any inconvenience that is caused by this year’s schedule of road projects and we ask that you bear with us while we preserve and improve our road infrastructure.

Please look for the latest construction updates on our City’s North Squirrel Roadway Improvements webpage and social media.

Don Grice, Assistant City Manager of Auburn Hills