Clinton River Road's $10 million rebuild: one-way traffic now, a new trail and signals by November 2027

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Drivers on Clinton River Road in Sterling Heights should expect one-way traffic and detours through next fall as the city rebuilds 4.5 miles of the road between Canal and Hayes.

The $10 million project is paid for with $7.5 million in congressionally directed federal spending sponsored by U.S. Rep. John James and $2.5 million in state road money, MLive reported. Construction began this fall and runs over two seasons, with major work done and the road reopened by November 2027, according to the city.

This fall. Crews are working on underground utilities in two sections, Canal Road to 19 Mile Road and Saal Road to Hayes Road. Traffic in those sections is one-way southeast-bound, with posted detours for northwest-bound drivers. Access to homes and businesses is being kept open where possible. Both sections reopen to traffic for the winter.

Spring 2027. Work resumes in those sections with full reconstruction, sidewalk connections and signal upgrades, again with one-way southeast-bound traffic.

Summer 2027. The stretch from 19 Mile to Schoenherr, which passes Henry Ford II High School, waits until the 2026-27 school year ends. Traffic there will stay open in its current direction while crews work one side at a time.

What drivers get. Between Canal and the M-53 bridge, new asphalt, a new water main, better drainage, a continuous east-side sidewalk and new signals at Riverland Drive and 19 Mile. Between M-53 and Schoenherr, a three-lane road with a center turn lane, a 10-foot shared-use path on the west side linking Donovan Park, Farmstead Park and the ITC Corridor Trail, three push-button crosswalks with flashing beacons, and a new signal at Henry Ford II High School. Between Saal and Hayes, a rebuilt road with curbs, water and sewer extensions and a new signal at Saal Road.

The city posts updates at sterlingheights.gov/conezone, and residents can sign up for project texts or emails at sterlingheights.gov/notifyme. Questions go to the city engineering office at 586-446-2720.

Sources:
City of Sterling Heights, “Construction Update: Clinton River Road Improvement Project - Canal Road to Hayes Road,” Aug. 10, 2026, https://www.sterlingheights.gov/DocumentCenter/View/22133/Public-Notification_Project_Info_081026---FINAL-WITH-LETTERHEAD
City of Sterling Heights, “Cone Zone - Road Project Updates,” https://www.sterlingheights.gov/1039/Road-Projects
MLive, “Sterling Heights to launch $10 million Clinton River Road upgrade this fall,” September 2026, https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2026/09/sterling-heights-to-launch-10-million-clinton-river-road-upgrade-this-fall.html
Photo: Bjoertvedt, “Michigan Macomb county Sterling Heights to Charter Township IMG 1808.JPG,” July 10, 2012, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan_Macomb_county_Sterling_Heights_to_Charter_Township_IMG_1808.JPG

Sterling Heights

Tags: Sterling Heights · Road Construction · Clinton River Road · Infrastructure · John James