Route description Interstate 696

satellite image of western terminus in novi

i-696, has been called detroit s autobahn residents reflecting reputation fast drivers, begins in west in city of novi left exit branching off i-96. ramp portion of i-96/i-696/i-275/m-5 interchange spans north–south, novi–farmington hills city line linking 5 converging freeways. freeway curves southeasterly , northeasterly through complex runs eastward through adjacent residential subdivisions. i-696 passes south of 12 mile road in mile road system through farmington hills, passing south of harrison high school , north of mercy high school. after crossing southfield, i-696 passes through mixing bowl, complex interchange spans on 2 miles (3.2 km) near american center involving m-10 (the lodge freeway , northwestern highway) , us 24 (telegraph road) between 2 partial interchanges franklin road on west , lahser road on east. carriageways i-696 run in median of m-10 northwest southeast. east of interchange, cargo restrictions have been enacted next 10-mile-long (16 km) segment of i-696; no commercial vehicles may carry flammable or explosive loads.

view in 1 of tunnels formed plazas on freeway in oak park

after passing through mixing bowl, i-696 follows 11 mile road, forms pair of service drives main freeway. interstate passes through city of lathrup village before turning southward , easterly on s-shaped path run along 10 mile road. segment of freeway known extensive use of retaining walls, 3 large landscaped plazas forming short tunnels freeway traffic near greenfield road exit. freeway passes next jewish community center of metropolitan detroit passes under third pedestrian plaza. interstate picks 10 mile road, forms pair of service drives, reuther runs along border between cities of oak park , huntington woods. i-696 follows southern edge of detroit zoo. east of zoo, interstate intersects m-1 (woodward avenue), , crosses line of canadian national railway carries amtrak passenger service between detroit , pontiac.

aerial view of detroit zoo , i-696

east of rail crossing, i-696 has four-level stack interchange i-75 on quadripoint royal oak, madison heights, hazel park , ferndale. interchange marks eastern end of cargo restrictions. i-696 jogs northeast near hazel park raceway, leaving 10 mile road. crossing warren in macomb county @ dequindre road interchange, freeway begins follow 11 mile road again. near detroit arsenal tank plant, i-696 has stack interchange mound road; through junction, freeway makes slight bend south. freeway continues east through northern edge of center line, crossing line of conrail shared assets , heading warren. interstate crosses roseville near m-97 (groesbeck highway) interchange , meets m-3 (gratiot avenue) west of eastern terminus @ i-94 (the edsel ford freeway) in st. clair shores. service drives merge in final interchange , 11 mile road continues due east lake st.clair.

like other state highways in michigan, i-696 maintained michigan department of transportation (mdot). in 2011, department s traffic surveys showed on average, 185,700 vehicles used freeway daily east of i-75 , 38,100 vehicles did each day in part of mixing bowl, highest , lowest counts along highway, respectively. interstate highway, of i-696 listed on national highway system, network of roads important country s economy, defense, , mobility.