GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Construction crews on Monday started a total resurfacing of east- and westbound I-96 in metro Grand Rapids.

The $6 million project between Cascade Road SE and 28th Street and is expected to continue through September. Crews will work on one lane in each direction at a time.

“That’s a good stretch of road and it’s got two lanes in each direction,” said MDOT’s John Richard. “That’s a little over 3 miles each way, so that’s about 12 miles of lane resurfacing.”

The resurfacing includes the reconstruction of concrete joints and asphalt.

Alternative routes include M-6 to US-131.

“There are many different ways that you can take, but again, if you’re caught off-guard, that’s not going to be good for anybody,” Richard said.

Drivers are reminded to slow down when work crews are on the freeway and give them plenty of space.

“In a work zone, you’ve got crews that are working there. You’ve got humans that are out and about on the roadways,” Richard said. “So you have to be extra careful because they are putting their lives at stake to fix our roads.”