MDHHS launches pilot Travel Points Testing

MDHHS launches pilot Travel Points Testing

by | Apr 22, 2021 | Transportation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, MDHHS, 517-241-2112
                  WuthC@Michigan.gov     

MDHHS launches pilot Travel Points Testing at
Michigan Welcome Centers and airports 

April 22, 2021 — In an attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and select Michigan airports, are piloting a Travel Points Testing program this spring – bringing antigen COVID-19 testing to locations with high volumes of travel.

             Quick and cost-free testing will be offered at several Michigan Welcome Centers and airports throughout the state, with results available in as little as 15 minutes. Walk-ups are taken as space allows, and an option to register online via a mobile device will also be available.

             “As we head into the summer with vaccines ramping up and a light at the end of the tunnel, I am so proud of this partnership between MDOT and MDHHS to keep Michiganders safe,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “I encourage all Michiganders to continue masking up, socially distancing and hand washing to slow the spread, and if you re-enter or travel across the state, get tested at one of the new sites being set up at key points. Finally, I encourage you to get vaccinated, which is the most effective way to keep you and your family safe and put this pandemic behind us.”

              “We are excited to provide space at our select Welcome Centers for immediate COVID-19 testing,” said State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba. “Our Welcome Centers are a gateway to thousands of travelers coming into the state each day, making them ideal locations to help prevent the spread of this horrible virus. Just look out for the COVID testing signs before the appropriate centers along the freeways.”  

             Insurance is not required, and results can be obtained via text, e-mail or uploaded to the traveler’s patient portal.

             “We are pleased to partner with MDOT and offer simple, quick COVID-19 testing for Michiganders and travelers to Michigan,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at the MDHHS. “With growing concerns of new, more contagious variants, testing for COVID-19 is more important than ever. If you are engaging in any travel, we encourage you to take advantage of this testing when you re-enter or travel across the state.”

             Testing trailers will be located on the grounds of Michigan Welcome Centers. Testing stations will be located at multiple locations inside Michigan airports.            

             Welcome Centers (open daily Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.):

Airport:

             “Testing sites are widely available at MDOT Welcome Centers and airports for the convenience of the traveler, and we have created resources for travelers to journey safely. To learn more about the Pure Michigan Pledge and to view resources, visit our state travel office website,” said Larisa Draves, executive director, Michigan Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus.

             Additional sites will be announced as they are confirmed. 

             To learn more about coronavirus and related resources in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus. Additional information about MDHHS’s antigen pop-up testing is also available online.

             To learn more about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on travel and additional safety measures, visit CDC.gov.  
MDOT efforts to balance mobility and environmental protections

MDOT efforts to balance mobility and environmental protections

by | Apr 22, 2021 | Transportation

Earth Day 2021: MDOT efforts to balance mobility and environmental protections

Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/8383442-earth-day-2021-mdot-efforts-to-balance-mobility-and-environmental-protections 

In recognition of Earth Day, this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features a conversation with Margaret Barondess, who manages the environmental section at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

TMT Earth Day

More than 50 years ago, Congress adopted the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Barondess reflects and explains how the act informs planning for transportation projects in Michigan and MDOT’s efforts to at once protect our air, waterways, wildlife, and plants and minimize inconvenience to travelers.

MDOT Margaret Barondess

While critics of NEPA have argued for scaling back the need for environmental impact statements, supporters tout NEPA’s role in saving money, time, lives, historical sites, endangered species, and public lands while encouraging compromise and cultivating better projects with more public support.

Barondess also talks about the challenges and rewards she and her team have experienced in recent years from listening to community members who would be affected by a project like the I-94 modernization project in Detroit and the I-75 Corridor Conservation Action Plan in Monroe County.

Among specific endangered species in Michigan is the eastern massasauga rattlesnake.

Other references:

The Detroit Free Press this week ranked invasive species in Michigan. (Subscription)

The Natural Resources Defense Council on the imperative of maintaining NEPA.

Creative MDOT efforts to support Michigan’s critical bee population with sun flowers along freeways.

Some creative solutions to protect wildlife and political theater.

Sunflowers on I-75

Sunflowers planted at I-75/M-46 interchange in Bay Region.

Listen now at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205.

Stay connected by subscribing to Talking Michigan Transportation e-mail updates.
Governor Whitmer Fills Potholes with Road Commission 

Governor Whitmer Fills Potholes with Road Commission 

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Transportation

header

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 20, 2021

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

 

Governor Whitmer Fills Potholes with Oakland County Road Commission

 

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer continued her “Work With Whitmer” tour in Lake Orion, where she assisted the Oakland County Road Commission and Operating Engineers Local 324 fill potholes on critical local roads. The governor worked alongside road commission staff to learn about patching techniques and road repair strategies.

 

“I am thrilled that the Oakland County Road Commission allowed me to roll up my sleeves and play a small part in the vital work they do each and everyday,” said Governor Whitmer. “We must continue to rebuild our roads and bridges to keep Michiganders safe and bolster our economy.”

 

Making long term investments in Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure is one of Governor Whitmer’s major priorities. Last year, the Governor announced the Rebuilding Michigan plan, a $3.5 billion bond plan to rebuild state highways and bridges, expanding hundreds of major new road projects over the next five years.

 

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MDOT efforts to balance mobility and environmental protections

What the Interstate Highway System has meant for the U.S.

by | Apr 19, 2021 | Transportation

What the Interstate Highway System has meant for the U.S. and what the future holds

Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/episodes/8349489-what-the-interstate-highway-system-has-meant-for-the-u-s-and-what-the-future-holds

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Doug Hecox, acting director of public affairs at the Federal Highway Administration, shares his insights on the origins of interstate highways and wrestles with unanswerable questions about the future.

TMT_3-53 Hecox

Hecox likes to remind people that the Interstate Highway System is “the largest human-built thing in the world.”

The discussion ranges from the debate about President Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan to why it has always been difficult for policymakers to agree on how to fund transportation systems, to what the ongoing development of connected and automated vehicles will mean to highway capacity. This includes a discussion about the president and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s emphasis on racial, social and environmental justice. We cannot right the wrongs but the history needs to inform future decisions.

Hecox explains why he’s a champion of the decision to invest in the Interstate Highway System. He also underscores why it is important for future planning that the highways accommodate the people they are supposed to serve.

The conversation also touches on the history of the Good Roads movement and how cyclists, not drivers, advocated to pave roads. Such was the case in Michigan and the work of Horatio S. Earle, Michigan’s first state transportation director.

Other references:

  • President Lincoln’s patent (the only U.S. president to obtain one) and how it benefitted transportation.
  • Companies continue to experiment with driverless delivery vehicles, including Michigan-based Domino’s
  • This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and work to create the Interstate Highway System.

Listen now at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205.

Stay connected by subscribing to Talking Michigan Transportation e-mail updates.

MDOT roadside parks reopening April 30

by | Apr 19, 2021 | Transportation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 

CONTACT: Dan Weingarten, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-4809
                      WeingartenD@Michigan.gov

 

MDOT roadside parks reopening April 30

April 19, 2021 — All roadside parks operated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will reopen for the season Friday, April 30.

MDOT maintains 85 roadside parks around the state. Parks in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula operate seasonally, usually closing in late October and reopening in the spring.

While parks are scheduled to be open April 30, motorists should not expect drinking water at all parks to be turned on until sometime later in May, after annual testing and treatment of the park water systems is completed.

A map and complete list of MDOT roadside parks are available on the MDOT website.
Ongoing bridge work requires closing I-75

Ongoing bridge work requires closing I-75

by | Apr 15, 2021 | Transportation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021

 

CONTACT: Rob Morosi, MDOT Office of Communications, 248-483-5107, MorosiR@Michigan.gov

 

Reminder: Ongoing bridge work requires closing I-75

this weekend in Oakland County

 

Fast facts:

– Both directions of I-75 will be closed between I-696 and M-102 (8 Mile Road) starting at 11 p.m. Friday and ending by 5 a.m. Monday.  

– During the closure, all traffic will be detoured to M-1 (Woodward Avenue).

– 14 Mile Road closes under I-75 Friday morning for ongoing interchange work.     

 

April 14, 2021 — Weather permitting, overpass replacement will require both directions of I-75 to be closed between M-102 (8 Mile Road) and I-696. The weekend closure is needed to allow crews to safely set bridge beams on the Highland Avenue pedestrian bridge in the city of Hazel Park.

The weekend closure will begin at 11 p.m. Friday, April 16, and ends by 5 a.m. Monday, April 19. In addition, both directions of I-75 will be down to one lane between I-696 and 14 Mile Road.

Prior to both freeway closures, crews will begin closing ramps at 9 p.m. and start freeway lane closures at 10 p.m. All ramps to northbound I-75 will be closed from Davison Freeway to 9 Mile Road. All ramps to southbound I-75 will be closed from 14 Mile to 9 Mile roads.

During the closure, northbound I-75 traffic will be detoured west on 8 Mile Road to northbound M-1 (Woodward Avenue), then eastbound I-696 back to northbound I-75. Southbound I-75 traffic will use westbound I-696 to southbound M-1, then eastbound 8 Mile Road back to southbound I-75.

Further north, both directions of 14 Mile Road under I-75, and all interchange ramps, will close for work on the diverging diamond interchange. The closure begins at 7 a.m. Friday, April 16, and ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 19. Upon opening 14 Mile Road and all ramps, the left lane on both eastbound and westbound 14 Mile Road will remain closed through mid-summer as crews await equipment arrival needed to complete the required signal installation.

Follow I-75 modernization progress on the web at www.Modernize75.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Modernize75 or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Modernize75.