Rebuilding the third segment of I-696 begins soon
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75 closing for aerial crossings in northern Oakland County
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Traffic advisory for I-75 closure in Holly
NB/SB I-75 at Evans Road, between Baldwin Road and Grange Hall Rd will be closed for multiple :15 minute intervals this weekend for aerial installation:
- Saturday 8am-10am
- Sunday 8am-10am
MSP will be assisting with the closure. Plan for delays and/or detour routes.
DETOURS:
- NB I-75 to Grange Hall to NB Dixie Hwy to NB 75
- SB I-75 to Dixie Hwy/Saginaw to SB Dixie to WB Grange Hall to SB 75
Meet MDOT’s director of economic development
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Applications now open for Safe Routes to School mini grants
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2025 |
MEDIA CONTACT Erin Paskus Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator 517-908-3840 [email protected] |
Applications now open for Safe Routes to School mini grants
LANSING, MI – Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Mini Grants for the 2025-2026 school year are now open. K-12 schools and affiliated nonprofits are invited to apply for funding to support active transportation programming in Michigan.
SRTS is an international movement and a federal program to make it safe, convenient and fun for children, including those with disabilities, to walk, bike and roll to school. When routes are safe, walking, biking and rolling to and from school helps children get the regular physical activity they need for good health. SRTS initiatives also help ease traffic jams and air pollution, unite neighborhoods and contribute to students’ readiness to learn in school.
Past Mini Grant initiatives have supported walking school bus programs, remote drop sites, bike rodeos and other active transportation incentives. Applicants are eligible to receive up to $15,000 per school, with a maximum of $120,000 per applicant for eight or more schools. For more about the application process, eligibility and details, visit https://saferoutesmichigan.
Mini Grant applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, March 7. Notification of Mini Grant awards will be announced in May. For questions about the request for proposals or to discuss a potential SRTS proposal, contact Program Coordinator Erin Paskus.
Michigan’s SRTS program is managed by the Michigan Department of Transportation with support from the Michigan Fitness Foundation.
MDOT secures federal grant for wildlife crossing hotspots
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 23, 2024
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MEDIA CONTACT Jocelyn Garza 989-245-7117 [email protected] |
MDOT secures federal grant for wildlife crossing hotspots
SAGINAW, Mich. – In a win for motorists and wildlife alike, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has secured a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fund a wildlife crossing analysis. In September, MDOT announced their grant submission in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), aimed at identifying the most problematic wildlife crossings posing a risk for motorist safety on state trunklines. MDOT has been awarded $467,376 to fund the analysis, further streamlining efforts to improve motorist safety by reducing wildlife vehicle collisions (WVCs).
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $135 million in grant awards for 16 states for fiscal year 2024-2025 as part of the USDOT’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP). In 2023, the USDOT awarded $110 million in funding for 17 states, and a total of 19 wildlife crossings. Awards included $24.4 million for Wyoming DOT to complete several crossings supporting migratory patterns for mule deer, pronghorn and other species.
Michigan typically ranks fourth highest in the nation for deer/vehicle crashes, with an average of 55,000 deer/vehicle crashes per year, resulting in $130 million in damages. Michigan also reports crashes with moose, elk, bear and wild turkeys. While the number of crashes with other large species is not as high, the risk and damage are detrimental and increase the risk for some species of greatest concern (SGCN). Additional at-risk specifies identified in MDOT’s grant application include Blanding’s turtles, eastern massasauga rattlesnakes and pine marten.
“We’re pleased the state has secured funding to undertake this innovative work in Michigan,” said Steve Chadwick, senior Great Lakes wetland advisor for the MDNR. “This grant has the potential to benefit at-risk species by helping them reach critical habitat, and to protect more common species as we seek to make roads safer for Michigan drivers.”
MDOT’s Bay Region has spent years tracking deer carcasses and traffic crash reports (UD-10s) submitted by law enforcement to identify the locations and frequency of WVCs, with an end-goal to reduce crashes, improve motorist safety and protect at-risk species. Moving forward MDOT, MDNR and other state departments will turn over their existing WVC data to a consultant team to begin the official wildlife hotspot analysis using the federal grant and a state match of $116,844 to fund the study. The hotspot analysis will identify the top 20 locations statewide responsible for repetitive WVCs, allowing MDOT to work toward the ultimate goal of providing WVC mitigation and protecting all Michiganders, including the wildlife variety.
“We’re going to look at locations identified by the analysis and first determine if there is existing infrastructure in place that can be retrofitted to accommodate wildlife passage,” said MDOT Bay Region Resource Specialist Amanda Novak. “If there is an existing bridge or culvert that can include space for wildlife, mitigation measures similar to those in other states can be added and can help us increase the number of wildlife crossings without a huge financial investment. Ultimately, we stand to gain by also incorporating what we learn into future design standards, so we’re active in our wildlife mitigation efforts, starting in the design phase of a road project.”
Novak spoke about her experience researching wildlife crossings and collecting data during a September edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast.
MDOT expects to issue a request for proposals this spring, beginning the process of hiring the team that will complete the final compilation of WVCs.
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Crash Not Accident
Note to reporters: Crashes are no accident, they are preventable. Please use “crash” instead of “accident” when reporting. Learn more at www.Michigan.gov/
Bull moose struck by vehicle in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Credit: MDNR
Gravid Blanding’s turtle struck by a vehicle in southern Michigan.
Credit: Eric McCluskey
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake struck by a vehicle along a state highway in Michigan.
Credit: Jennifer Moore
MDOT reflects on 2024 accomplishments
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2024
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MEDIA CONTACT Jocelyn Garza 989-245-7117 [email protected] |
MDOT reflects on 2024 accomplishments, including improved safety, technology, flex routes and more
LANSING, Mich. – As the 2024 construction season comes to a close, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has produced a video to reflect on a record year, with more than $3 billion invested to improve safety, mobility and technology of our roadways across the state. The video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/MichiganDOT.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program continues to rebuild the state highways and bridges (I, M and US routes) that are critical to the state’s economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state’s infrastructure.
“I want to acknowledge the hard-working men and women who make these crucial infrastructure improvements,” said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. “MDOT employees and contractors give their all each day to improve mobility, accessibility and safety for all road users, and we’ll continue striving for excellence into the new year.”
In MDOT’s Bay Region, crews removed a temporary bridge installed shortly after the M-30 bridge over the Tobacco River was washed away in a historic flooding event. In its place, a new $12.4 million permanent bridge structure now connects Midland and Gladwin counties.
“I just want to thank MDOT, thank the contractors, thank everyone,” said Karen Moore, chairperson of the Gladwin County Board of Commissioners. “It takes time. This is obviously done right, it’s beautiful. The pedestrian walkways are going to give safe access.”
Across the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula, safety was at the forefront of projects, with road diets and roundabouts helping to calm traffic and relieve congestion. The intersection at US-41/M-28 and Lakeshore Drive in Ishpeming now features a new roundabout aimed at reducing crashes and improving driver safety. A road diet on M-55/I-75 Business Loop in West Branch reduced traffic from four and five-lane sections down to three lanes. The $14.3 million investment rebuilt the roadway while providing new sidewalk ramps, a shared use path, curbs and gutters, and served as an opportunity for the community to beautify their business district.
“It’s always hard to go through it, because of course, yes, it impacts traffic per se, customer traffic, but it was so much needed,” said Samanth Fabbri, a local business owner. “We had infrastructure that had to happen and our town chose to make it an opportunity and make changes and updates. We took it as an opportunity to make our town even better than it is.”
Also in northern Michigan, a $24.7 million investment rebuilt US-31/M-72 (Grandview Parkway), improving the heavily traveled route through the thriving business district and tourist destination of Traverse City.
“This is an amazing project we’re so excited about here in Traverse City,” said Traverse City Mayor Amy Shamroe. “This is a completely different, once-in-a-generation transformation of our downtown and the artery that puts people not only into Travere City when they come to visit, but also our surrounding areas like Sleeping Bear National Park and all these other places we know people love to come and visit, and we ourselves as locals really love. It’s just making a much better experience to get there both by car, but also the improvements that we’re making to make all of the town accessible.”
A $205 million Rebuilding Michigan initiative is underway in Lansing as crews completed the first part of Phase Two of rebuilding US-127/I-496 in Ingham County. This project is rebuilding 3.7 miles of highway, while addressing several bridges from I-96 to I-496, improving safety and drainage along the route. Through 2024, work was completed along northbound US-127/I-496, with crews moving to the southbound side starting this spring. The project supports more than 2,500 jobs across the Lansing area.
“Infrastructure improvement is hugely important,” said Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “We’ve been pushing for infrastructure improvement for years, so seeing the state being able to fix some of our major roads, especially US-127, it’s hugely important. We want to make sure the roads are quality, that they’re good, that they’re safe.”
Rebuilding Michigan funds brought a $269 million investment to Oakland County, leveraging technology to help manage traffic and reduce congestion, as MDOT’s second Flex Route in the state is set to begin operations in early 2025. The I-96 Flex Route project improved 12 miles of roadway, rebuilding shoulders along I-96 from Kent Lake Road to the I-275/I-696/M-5 interchange and includes eight new metering ramps. Drivers will soon be able to reference digital signs indicating if the lane is available for use, along with suggested speed limits to reduce backups.
Amanda Downs, director of hospitality and events at Ford’s Garage, noted that the since construction was completed, business is continuing to increase and her own commute has already improved. “It’s great to drive on smoother roads and we’re looking forward to the Flex Lane opening and making that commute in the morning and home in the evening a lot smoother with less traffic.”
A two-year, $51 million investment (funded in part by Rebuilding Michigan) completed 13.4 miles of improvements along US-131 from Three Rivers to Schoolcraft in Kalamazoo County. Work focused on driver and pedestrian safety, rebuilt the US-131 intersection at Shaver Road to include a Michigan Left, improved sidewalks and curb ramps, and added a new pedestrian crossing signal at Eliza Street.
“The US-131 project, I think, was a great project for the community,” said Cheri Lutz, village manager in Schoolcraft. “It certainly alleviated a lot of potholes, plus provided a nice smooth route through the village of Schoolcraft, which enhances the businesses on US-131. Everybody, now that it’s complete, is very happy with the project.”
More project information is available on the MDOT website.