[music]
Narrator: In 2019, the Michigan Department of Transportation was hard at work
putting your tax dollars to good use fixing Michigan’s infrastructure.
From Monroe County on the southeast border to Delta County in the Upper Peninsula,
projects all across the state continued to drive MDOT’s mission of providing the highest quality
integrated transportation services for economic development and improved quality of life.
In Bay County, motorists who travel north on I-75 near Bay City
noticed plenty of new asphalt stretching 4.2 miles from North Union Road to Beaver Road.
The $29.5 million project included improvements to 11 bridges, including Wilder Road and Mackinaw Road.
Further north in the U.P., construction of the new $20.5 million Escanaba River bridge
on US-2/M-35 wrapped up this summer.
Along with replacing the bridge over the river, a new railroad bridge was built over the highway.
Other highlights of the project included a new nonmotorized pathway and a sensor system
to warn drivers when the bridge could be icy.
Also in the U.P., a major reconstruction of US-41/M-28 in Marquette Township's busy commercial corridor
is well underway. The $10.9 million project includes a boulevard extension, Michigan Lefts
and a new multi-use tunnel underneath the highway.
Township officials see the project as a boost to mobility and recreational access.
Jason McCarthy: Now, what you're seeing is people are slowing down, which is good for business.
If you read a lot of planning reasearch, slower traffic is actually a boon for economic development.
You don't have people just racing through your commnnity, they're actually slowing down,
taking a look at other things and maybe stopping on impulse.
Narrator: Major road work was completed for the season in early November;
the project is scheduled to wrap up in June 2020.
Those traveling I-94 near Jackson are starting to get a glimpse at what some are calling the "94 of the future"
as work continues on the $109 million gateway treatment into the city.
The project includes nearly 9 miles of resurfacing, and about a mile-and-a-half of freeway reconstruction.
The bridge over the Grand River is also being replaced with a new, wider bridge to accommodate the improved I-94.
One of the biggest changes is the redesigned interchange with Cooper Street
that features two new roundabouts and decorative brick stamped with the City of Jackson logo.
Derek Dobies: I think it's transformative for our city and our community.
There has been a lot of excitement about it.
It's always great to come down 94 and pass all of the different things that are getting built,
the road getting redone, the bridge is getting redone, all these gateway treatments.
It's exciting to have that happen and start here in Jackson
and I think that it's something a lot of other communities are going to be jealous about.
Narrator: Driver safety was at the forefront of the design of the new M-20 bridge in Midland
over the Tittibawasee River. The new $21 million bridge was lowered to help improve the line of sight
into the city, helping to making it easier for eastbound drivers to see the intersection
on the other side of bridge. Community engagement was a huge part of this project
as MDOT continues to build relationships with our community partners.
Joshua Fredrickson: MDOT wasn't just here to do a bridge and get out of town.
They wanted something that the city and residents could recognize and could have input in,
and work as a team and collaborate on. It wasn't just MDOT is moving in, doing a project, and getting out.
It was, you know, a community project for the benefit of everybody. So it was really nice to see that.
Narrator: Heading west to Kent County, the transformation is well underway at the I-96/I-196 interchange.
Dedicated exit lanes from eastbound I-96 and I-196 to East Beltline Avenue have improved safety and traffic
flow through the corridor. The $40 million "Flip" project is halfway through and construction
will continue in to 2020, with the reconstruction of I-196 between Maryland Avenue and East Beltline Avenue.
Mike DeVries: Well, it was interesting when the Flip project first began and
the folks from MDOT came over to visit with me and explain
how that was going to work and we were quite excited because we've been waiting for a long time
for things to happen at I-96 and 196, and the project has just progressed wonderfully
and, of course, the first phase is done and we believe it's a little ahead of schedule,
which we are very pleased about and MDOT should be also.
Narrator: Just down the road in downtown Grand Rapids,
the wider I-196 westbound bridge is making the commute easier for many drivers heading into the ever-growing city.
By widening the westbound bridge over the Grand River,
MDOT was able to add another lane to help ease congestion and better connect I-196 with US-131.
Construction wrapped up early this fall on the $20 million project.
Mark Washington: The city cannot manage this growth by ourselves.
We have to have a lot of great partners with regional planning organizations, Grand Valley Metro Council,
as well as the state, Michigan Department of Transportation,
and it's very important that we work collaboratively. We can't do all the
engineering by ourselves and we certainly can't fund it all by ourselves.
Narrator: In the northern Lower Peninsula, Petoskey saw a shift in US-31 away from the bluffs.
The $11.2 million realignment and reconstruction project
covered 1.3 miles between the Mitchell Street bridge and Fairview Avenue.
It also included the construction of a retaining wall, drainage improvements, and traffic signal upgrades.
Mike Robbins: The efforts put forth by MDOT, the efforts put forth by city staff,
by our leadership in the city, the central business district folks -
everybody came together knowing the impact it was going to have, so we were excited.
Over the last several years there’s been lots of improvements through the city of Petoskey.
We have relationships with MDOT, the Gaylord TSC. Those folks have been great to work with.
Narrator: Taking the scenic route is encouraged to enjoy the new pavement
and, of course, the views of the bay.
If you're heading south from Petoskey on US-131,
you may have noticed a big change at the intersection of M-186 near Fife Lake.
The nearly three-month, $1.8 million project added a roundabout, along with curb, sidewalks and drainage upgrades.
New signs and pavement markings were installed to help motorists and pedestrians navigate the new roundabout.
Linda Forwerck: MDOT staff came out, they met with the public, they did a public presentation, maps,
everything, and interviewed people one-on-one after the presentations.
MDOT was great, they really were. I can't thank Rick Liptak enough,
and his staff, the designers of the intersection and all that. They were all great.
So we're very appreciative that they took this very seriously.
Narrator: With the 2020 construction season right around the corner,
MDOT would like to thank everyone for their patience during this construction season.
And remember, those orange barrels will be back soon as we continue to improve Michigan's infrastructure.