Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects Starting This Week

Statement

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced that three road projects are slated to begin this week in Berrien, Calhoun, and St. Joseph counties. These projects include I-94 bridge construction in Berrien County, M-227 resurfacing in Calhoun County, and M-60 and US-12 resurfacing in St. Joseph County. Based on economic modeling, these investments will support 125 jobs.

"Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to save drivers time and money. These investments in Berrien, Calhoun, and St. Joseph counties will help Michiganders get to work, run errands, and explore our beautiful state safely," said Governor Whitmer. "Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will have invested 70% more in our roads than the previous four years to fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. Both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan are helping us build safe, reliable infrastructure that makes a difference for families and small business across the state. I'm proud of what we have accomplished, so let's roll up our sleeves and keep getting things done."

I-94 Bridge Construction in Berrien County

MDOT is continuing work to widen the eastbound I-94 bridge over Pipestone Road to prepare for the I-94 rebuilding project between Red Arrow Highway and Britain Avenue in 2023 and 2024. Crews will begin building the new, temporary bridge lanes. Work this year is a $7.3 million investment that includes pavement repairs on 8.8 miles of I-94 from Puetz Road to Britain Avenue and building median crossovers and emergency pull-offs on I-94. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support nearly 93 jobs.

Funding for this project is made possible by Governor Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges 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.

M-227 Resurfacing in Calhoun County

MDOT will invest $302,400 to resurface 1.3 miles of M-227 from 15 1/2 Mile Road to 17 Mile Road in Leroy Township, south of Marshall. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support nearly four jobs.

M-60 and US-12 Resurfacing in St. Joseph County

MDOT will invest $2.2 million to resurface 7 miles of M-60 from the M-66 junction to Hacker Road through Leonidas, and 1 mile of US-12 from Fairview Drive to Grass Lake Lane in White Pigeon. Work includes hot-mix asphalt cold milling and resurfacing, sidewalk ramp and traffic recorder replacement, and new pavement markings. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support nearly 28 jobs.

Rebuilding Michigan's Roads and Bridges

Since taking office through the end of 2022, Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist will have fixed, repaired, or replaced more than 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, supporting more than 89,000 jobs without raising taxes by a dime. These and future repairs are made possible by the Rebuilding Michigan plan, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges, and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, the largest one-time investment in Michigan's infrastructure in state history. These strategic investments in Michigan's infrastructure ensure that future Michiganders will have safer roads and bridges to run errands, travel, and strengthen the economy.

Learn more about the Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration's historic infrastructure investments by clicking on the following link: Infrastructure Accomplishments.

Infrastructure Investments in the FY 2023 Budget

Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist's fourth balanced and bipartisan budget expands on the investments in the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan signed in April by speeding up replacement of lead service lines, reducing traffic congestion at local rail crossings, improving state fish hatcheries, and funding long-overdue maintenance projects at state facilities.

Source