by orionontv | Mar 31, 2025 | Transportation
MDOT Paint the Plow program returns to brighten Michigan’s roads
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Paint the Plow program. This program offers a unique opportunity for MDOT to partner with area schools, using students’ creativity to communicate safe winter driving practices for all Michigan residents.
The Paint the Plow program is open to all Michigan high schools, including technical and vocational programs. Students are invited to submit a creative and original design reflecting their individual school, while promoting a selected safety theme. This year’s safety theme is “Give plows space; it’s not a race.”
The safety theme reminds everyone that driving safely on winter roads is crucial to preventing crashes and ensuring road user safety. Snow and ice can make roads slippery, reducing traction and increasing stopping distances. Slowing down gives drivers more time to react to changing conditions and helps maintain control. It’s especially important to be cautious around snowplows, which travel at reduced speeds and have limited visibility. By slowing down and giving plows plenty of space, drivers can help keep Michigan’s roads safer for everyone.
MDOT will accept Paint the Plow design applications through Friday, May 16. Selected schools will be notified before the end of the 2025 school year and arrangements will be made for the delivery of their plow blade in the fall. Depending on location throughout the state, schools will have approximately six weeks to complete their design before MDOT staff return for the completed plow blade in time to ready trucks for the winter maintenance season. Painted plow blades will be visible along various state trunklines (I, M and US routes) in Michigan through the winter.
Interested schools can visit www.Michigan.gov/PaintThePlow for more information and to submit their design.
Superior Region’s Newberry High School designed this plow blade for last year’s Paint the Plow program.
Bay Region’s Heritage High School painted this plow for the 2024-2025 season.
University Region’s Western High School painted this snowplow blade for the 2024-2025 Paint the Plow program.
by orionontv | Mar 26, 2025 | Transportation
Tariffs, automated vehicles and zero-emission planes
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a repeat appearance by Joann Muller, the Detroit-based transportation correspondent for Axios. She talks about how tariffs are affecting the auto industry, how automakers are reacting and what the future might hold.
 Muller also shares insights from reporting on a new design for aircraft (a blended wing body airframe) that Delta Airlines and California-based Jet Zero say could make for net-zero emissions flying by 2050.
 Lastly, she talks about driverless Uber vehicles in Austin, Texas, and other developments in the evolution of automated vehicles.
Muller also previews a new newsletter she’s launching, Axios Future of Mobility. |
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by orionontv | Mar 21, 2025 | Transportation
03/21-03/24/25 WEEKEND WORK for MDOT (I, M, US roads)
This is weekend construction, in addition to on-going projects other than these locations. Always check Michigan.gov/drive for this info and for ALL projects and follow @MDOT_MetroDet.
Multiple work crews may be involved in these closures. WEATHER AFFECTS ALL WORK AND MAY CAUSE DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS.
I-75:
Oakland – NB Dixie Hwy/Saginaw Rd RAMP CLOSED to I-75, Mon 7am-early Nov for construction.
Oakland – EB/WB E Holly RAMP CLOSED to NB I-75, Mon 7am-early Nov for construction.
Oakland – SB I-75 RAMP CLOSED to EB I-696, Fri 9am-3pm, for pavement markings.
Wayne – NB I-75 RAMP CLOSED to I-94, Sat 9am-10:30am, freeway cleaning.
Wayne – NB I-75 RAMP CLOSED to WB M-8/Davison, Sat 10:30am-noon, freeway cleaning.
Wayne – NB I-75 Service Drive at 8 Mile, 3 lanes open, Fri 7am-early April, pump station.
I-94:
Macomb – WB I-94 at 9 Mile, 1 LANE OPEN, Sat 9am-noon, then reopens to 2 LANES, Sat noon-4pm, bridge inspection.
Wayne – WB I-94 RAMP CLOSED to SB I-275, Mon 9am-Wed 5am, drainage maintenance.
Wayne – EB I-94, Middlebelt to Inkster, 2 LANES OPEN, Sat 7am-5pm/Sun 5am-2pm, median work.
Wayne – WB I-94 CLOSED, US-24/Telegraph to Middlebelt, intermittently, Sun 6am-10am, cable crossing.
I-696:
Oakland – WB I-696, Farmington Rd to Halsted Rd, 2 LANES OPEN, Sat 9am-3pm, sign installation.
Oakland – WB I-696, M-10 to Telegraph Rd, 2 LANES OPEN, Mon 7am-Wed 4/2, slope restoration, etc.
M-8: (Davison)
Wayne – EB M-8 RAMP CLOSED to SB M-10, Sat 1pm-2:30pm, freeway cleaning.
M-10: (Lodge)
Oakland – SB M-10 at 8 Mile Rd, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri 9:30am-noon, bridge inspection.
Oakland – NB M-10 at Greenfield, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri Noon-3pm, bridge inspection.
Oakland – SB M-10 at 8 Mile, 2 LANES OPEN, Mon to early April, retaining wall.
Oakland – NB/SB Greenfield RAMP CLOSED to SB M-10, Mon 6am-early April, retaining wall.
Oakland – SB M-10 Service Drive, 8 Mile to 7 Mile, 1 LANE OPEN, Mon 6am-early Apr, retaining wall.
M-102: (8 Mile)
Oakland – WB M-102, M-10 to Northland Dr, 3 lanes open, Fri 9am-3pm, utility work.
REMINDERS:
I-75, M-15 to Genesee County line, 2 lanes open
EB/WB I-96 FLEX Route now in operation
EB 696 CLOSED M-10 to I-75
EB M14/96, Sheldon-Newburgh, 1 LANE OPEN
by orionontv | Mar 20, 2025 | Transportation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2025 |
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MEDIA CONTACT
Dan Weingarten
906-250-4809
[email protected] |
Annual spring weight restrictions on Michigan state roads
changing at noon today
LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) continues to adjust spring weight restriction areas in an annual move to protect roads.
Effective noon today, March 20, weight restrictions will be lifted on all state trunkline highways from the southern Michigan border north to and including the route beginning on M-43 at the I-196 Business Loop intersection in South Haven continuing to the US-131 interchange in Kalamazoo County, then south on US-131 to the I-94 interchange, east on I-94 to the I-69 interchange in Calhoun County, north on I-69 to the I-96 interchange in Eaton County, east on I-96 to the M-59 interchange in Livingston County, and then east on M-59, ending at the I-94 interchange in Macomb County.
Frost restrictions are still in effect for the remainder of the state and will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways north of the route detailed above. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.
In the restricted areas, the following will apply:
- On routes designated as “all-season” (designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be no reduction in legal axle weights.
- All extended permits will be valid for oversize loads in the weight-restricted area on the restricted routes. Single-trip permits will not be issued for any overweight loads or loads exceeding 14 feet in width, 11 axles, and 150 feet in overall length on the restricted routes.
- On routes designated as “seasonal” (designated in solid or dashed red on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be a posted weight reduction of 25 percent for rigid (concrete) pavements and 35 percent for flexible (asphalt) pavements, and maximum speed of 35 mph for some vehicles.
Drivers must follow the speed limits for weight restricted roads, per state law. Go online for speed restrictions for trucks and the rules for propane fuel delivery and public utility vehicles.
When roads that have been frozen all winter begin to thaw from the surface downward, melting snow and ice saturate the softened ground. During the spring thaw, the roadbed softened by trapped moisture beneath the pavement makes it more susceptible to damage. This contributes to pothole problems already occurring due to this winter’s numerous freeze-thaw cycles.
MDOT determines when weight restrictions begin each spring by measuring frost depths along state highways, observing road conditions and monitoring weather forecasts. Weight restrictions remain in effect until the frost line is deep enough to allow moisture to escape and the roadbeds regain stability.
County road commissions and city public works departments put in place their own local road seasonal weight restrictions, which usually but not always coincide with state highway weight restrictions. Signs are generally posted to indicate which local routes have weight restrictions in effect.
For weight restriction information and updates, call 800-787-8960, or you can access this information on MDOT’s website at www.Michigan.gov/Truckers, under “Restrictions.” All-season routes are designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map, which is available online. You also may sign up to receive e-mail alerts.
Trucking companies located in New Jersey and Canada can obtain information by calling 517-373-6256.
by orionontv | Mar 19, 2025 | Transportation
Road building 101
Jason Gutting joins the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast this week to talk about his role as director of MDOT’s Bureau of Field Services.
 As talks heat up between Michigan lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over various road funding proposals, the discussion again turns to paving standards and practices.
Gutting talks about standards and specifications for paving materials and how MDOT engineers confer with counterparts from across the country; innovations in road building, winter maintenance and operations; and ongoing challenges because of inflation and supply chain pressures since the pandemic began.
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by orionontv | Mar 14, 2025 | Transportation
Friday 03/14-Monday 03/17/25 WEEKEND WORK for MDOT (I, M, US roads)
This is weekend construction, in addition to on-going projects other than these locations. Always check Michigan.gov/drive for this info and for ALL projects and follow @MDOT_MetroDet.
WEATHER AFFECTS ALL WORK AND MAY CAUSE DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS.
I-75:
Oakland – NB I-75, M-15/Ortonville to Saginaw/Dixie Hwy, 1 LANE OPEN, Fri 9pm-Mon 5am, for pavement marking removal/replacements and intermittent ramp closures:
- Oakland – NB I-75 CLOSED to M-15/Ortonville
- Oakland – NB I-75 CLOSED to US-24/Dixie Hwy
- Oakland – NB I-75 CLOSED to E Holly Rd
- Oakland – NB I-75 CLOSED to Grange Hall
- Oakland – NB I-75 CLOSED to Saginaw/Dixie Hwy
Oakland – Crossroads closed at I-75 intermittently, Fri 9pm-Mon 5am.
- SB Dixie Hwy
- EB/WB E Holly Rd
- EB/WB Grange Hall Rd
- NB/SB Ortonville Rd
Oakland – SB I-75 RAMP CLOSED to EB I-696, Sat 7am-3pm, for pavement markings.
I-94:
Wayne – EB I-94, Middlebelt to Ecorse, 2 LANES OPEN, daily 9a-3p thru 5/4, median utility work.
Wayne – EB I-94, Middlebelt to Inkster, 2 LANES OPEN, left closed, Sun 5am-2pm, cable crossing.
Wayne – WB I-94 CLOSED intermittently, US-24/Telegraph to Middlebelt, Sun 6am-10am, cable crossing.
I-96:
Wayne – EB I-96 ramp to EB/WB I-94, 1 ramp lane open, Mon 9am-Tue 5pm, drainage work.
I-696:
Oakland – WB I-696, Ryan to Couzens, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri 9am-noon-ish, rumble strips.
Oakland – WB I-696, Orchard Lake to I-275, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri 9am-noon-ish, for rumble strips.
Oakland – EB I-696, I-275 to Orchard Lake, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri noon-ish-3pm, for rumble strips.
M-3: (Gratiot)
Macomb – NB/SB M-3, Masonic Blvd to Quinn Rd, 3 lanes open, Sat 9am-Wed 3pm, for utility work.
Wayne – NB M-3, M-59/Hall to Cass Ave, 1 LANE OPEN, Fri 9am-3pm, manhole work.
M-10: (Lodge)
Wayne – SB M-10 RAMP CLOSED to Larned, Mon 6am-late May, for bridge work
M-85: (Fort Street)
Wayne – EB/WB M-85 at Livernois Ave, 1 LANE OPEN, Mon-late April 9am-3pm, utility/lighting work.
M-102: (8 Mile)
Wayne- EB 8 Mile Rd, M-3/Gratiot to Brock St, 3 lanes open, Fri 9am-3pm, utility work.
Wayne – WB 8 Mile Rd near Lahser, 3 lanes open, Fri 9am-3pm, utility work.
Telegraph:
Oakland – NB Telegraph Rd Lincoln Dr to Maple Rd, 2 LANES OPEN, Sat 9am-3pm, sewer maintenance.
US-12: (Michigan)
Wayne – WB US-12, Beech Daly to Middlebelt, 1 LANE OPEN, Mon 9am-Sat 4/5 5pm, watermain.
US-24: (Telegraph)
Wayne – SB US-24, Joy Rd to Warren Rd, 2 LANES OPEN, Fri-Thu daily 7am-5pm, utility work.
Corktown Races and St Patrick’s Parade –
Sun 9:30am-5pm CLOSED:
- NB/SB 14th St, Michigan Ave to Dalzelle St,
- EB/WB Bagley St, Brooklyn St to Rosa Parks Blvd
- EB/WB Bagley St, 3rd St to 1st St
- EB/WB US-12/Michigan Ave, Cass Ave to 17th St
- NB/SB Rosa Parks Blvd, Howard St to US-12/Michigan Ave
Sun 6am-9:30am for race prep:
EB/WB US-12/Michigan Ave, 14th St to 17th St, 1 LANE OPEN for race prep.
REMINDERS:
EB 696 CLOSED M-10 to I-75
EB M14/96, Sheldon-Newburgh, 1 LANE OPEN
NB 275 ramp CLOSED to WB M-14
Gutting was previously the administrator of the Construction Field Services (CFS) division. He also worked in Operations and was the construction contracts engineer for CFS as well as the construction engineer and an assistant construction engineer at the MDOT Lansing Transportation Service Center (TSC).