MDOT roadside parks set to close for season

LANSING, Mich. - Most roadside parks operated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be closed for the season on Friday, Oct. 31.

Three parks will be closing early for the season on Monday, Oct. 20, to begin bathroom building upgrades:

• White Cloud Roadside Park on M-37 in Newaygo County.

• Chase Roadside Park on US-10 in Lake County.

• Baldwin Roadside Park on US-10 in Lake County. 

Some parks will remain open until later this fall.

Closing Friday, Nov. 28:

• Brown Roadside Park on M-25 in Huron County. 

Closing Saturday, Nov. 29:

• White River Roadside Park on M-20 in Newaygo County.

• High Rollway Park Roadside Park on M-82 in Newaygo County.

Closing Monday, Dec. 1:

• Manistee River Roadside Park near Manton on US-131 in Wexford County.

Parks remaining open year-round:

• White Rock Roadside Park on M-25 in Sanilac County.

• Cass River Roadside Park on M-46 in Tuscola County.

• Artesian Flow Roadside Park on M-140 near Watervliet in Berrien County.

 MDOT maintains 82 roadside parks around the state, with nearly all of them closing annually in late October and reopening in late April. A map of all MDOT roadside parks is available on MDOT's website.

MDOT - Toward Zeo Deaths

National Teen Driver Safety Week

Oct. 19-25, 2025

National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 19-25, 2025) is dedicated to raising awareness and seeking solutions to prevent teen injuries and deaths on the road. This grassroots movement has brought millions of teens, parents, schools, law enforcement, advocates, and policymakers from across the country together to tackle a leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. – car crashes.

From seeking change on the local level with a seat belt check or safe driving pledge wall to meeting with elected officials, teens and others are using National Teen Driver Safety Week as a platform to create positive change.

Inexperience, risk-taking behavior, and immaturity are all factors that increase the crash risk for young drivers. National Teen Driver Safety Week is an opportunity for parents and guardians to have conversations with teens about safe-driving habits. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and its traffic safety partners created the Teen Driving Parental Toolkit to help talk to teens about driving safely.

The toolkit provides useful information and resources that parents and guardians can utilize to help teach their teens safe-driving habits. The kit includes information on driving safely in poor weather, such as fog, rain, ice, and snow; handling special weather hazards, including flooding, snowplows, and black ice; teen defensive driver programs; resources for parents; and more.

Get the conversation started about safe driving behaviors during National Teen Driver Safety Week in your community, school, or workplace. Additional information on teen driver safety can be found on the OHSP’s website.

Northbound I-75 Zilwaukee Bridge Reopened

SAGINAW, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) reopened all lanes of northbound I-75 on the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw County on Tuesday, Oct. 14, after early completion of preventive maintenance.

Drivers should expect intermittent lane, shoulder and ramp closures throughout the project area during the morning into early afternoon hours as crews remove barricades and install new pavement markings.

Law enforcement will assist with traffic control. Motorists should expect delays. This work is weather-dependent. 

This work was done as part of a $2.9 million investment in preventive maintenance on the Zilwaukee Bridge, which included expansion joint repair, deck patching and resealing. Work on the southbound side of the Zilwaukee Bridge was completed in June as a part of this project. This maintenance was necessary to improve and extend the service life of the structure.

MDOT: M-30 Bridge over US-10 Now Open

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. - On Monday, Oct. 13, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) reopened the M-30 bridge over US-10 in Sanford.

M-30 was closed at US-10 as a part of a $7.3 million project to improve the structure. The new bridge will provide drivers with a safer, reliable structure. The bridge now includes a 14-foot-wide separated nonmotorized path on the west side of the structure for future pathway connections.

Intermittent lane and shoulder closures will be possible on M-30 and US-10 as crews finish remaining work.

Project completion was delayed by complications with previously set bridge beams. Beams that were set in May showed signs of cracking. Out of an abundance of caution, crews promptly removed the beams and replacements were obtained. New beams were secured and installed in August.

City of Midland - Poseville Preserve Project Update

The Poseyville Preserve Project has reached an exciting milestone with the full installation of the pedestrian walkway, officially named Founders Crossing.

With this progress, E. Main Street between the Poseyville Bridge and State Street is now open to vehicle traffic and parking. Please note that the south sidewalk along the Tittabawassee River will remain closed until the project is completed later this fall. Public access to Founders Crossing will also remain restricted until the project is fully complete.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Poseyville Preserve Project is scheduled for December 2, 2025.

So, what is the Poseyville Preserve Project?
This initiative restores a former industrial site into a natural riparian ecosystem native to the region. Project features include:

• Founders Crossing pedestrian walkway spanning the Tittabawassee River

• Accessible fishing opportunities

• Connections to walking and biking paths

• Expanded public access to the riverfront

For more information, visit the City of Midland’s project page.

2024 Michigan traffic crashes and fatalities

September 9, 2025 – The goal is zero fatalities and serious injuries on Michigan roads through the implementation of the Safe System Approach. Since last week, 28 people died on Michigan roadways making a total of 688 this year. In addition, 128 more were seriously injured for a statewide total of 3,674 to date.

Compared to last year at this time, there are 11 more fatalities and 55 fewer serious injuries.

Numbers are provided by the Michigan State Police.

The number of overall traffic crashes and fatalities on Michigan roadways rose slightly in 2024, according to recently released data from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC). In 2024, the total number of crashes (288,880) was 927 higher than in 2023. Also last year, while the number of fatalities (1,099) on Michigan roads increased by 4, the number of serious injuries (5,781) decreased by 35 when compared to 2023 (1,095 and 5,816, respectively).

Unfortunately, in 2024, bicyclists experienced profound increases in crashes and/or fatalities from 2023’s statistics. Bicyclist involved crashes (1,773) rose 20%, and bicyclist fatalities (29) rose 21%. While pedestrian involved crashes (2,131) rose 1%, pedestrian fatalities decreased by 15%. Other changes include:

• Work zone involved fatalities (28) rose 17%.

• Motorcycle involved crashes (3,187) increased 4%, and motorcyclist fatalities (168) increased 2%.

• School bus involved crashes (1,044) increased 6%.

Comparing 2024’s statistics to 2023’s numbers, other key findings include:

• Teen (aged 13-19) fatalities (77) rose 17%, while young drivers (aged 20 and younger) crashes decreased by 1%.

• Older driver involved (aged 65 and over) crashes (57,318) increased 4%.

• Drug involved crashes (2,315) rose 3%, and drug-involved fatalities (272) rose 6%.

• Alcohol involved fatalities (307) increased 3%, but alcohol-involved crashes (8,542) fell 3%.

• Distracted driving involved fatalities (65) rose 10%, while distracted driving-involved crashes (14,439) decreased 5%.

To review the crash data report and other related documents, visit the 2024 crash data page.

2021-2024 PASER & Bridge Conditions – State of Michigan and MATS Area Comparison

The Midland Area Transportation Study (MATS) has released a new analysis comparing road and bridge conditions across Michigan and within the MATS area between 2021 and 2024. Using data from the Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC) Dashboard, the report highlights important trends in pavement and bridge health that guide local and statewide investment decisions.

Roads:
The Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) system shows that, statewide, road conditions have been relatively stable, but with a gradual increase in roads rated “Good.” In the MATS area, improvements are more pronounced, particularly on county roads, where the share of “Good” roads now outpaces the statewide average. City and village roads remain the most challenged, but recent data suggests a positive turnaround with fewer “Poor” ratings than in past years.

Bridges:
Bridge conditions present a more mixed picture. Across Michigan, most bridges remain in “Fair” condition, but the share of bridges in “Severe” condition has increased since 2021. Locally, trunkline bridges in Midland, Bay, and Saginaw counties follow statewide trends, while county-owned bridges show greater signs of deterioration. Municipal bridges, such as those in Midland and Sanford, remain stable with nearly all rated “Fair.”

2025 Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Mini-Grant Application Now Open

We’re thrilled to share that applications are now open for the 2025 Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day mini-grants!

Every year on November 14, students, communities, and educators across the country come together to honor the incredible bravery of Ruby Bridges. In 1960, Ruby was just six years old when she became the first Black student to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans.

Ruby’s walk changed history. Her courage helped ignite the civil rights movement and opened the doors to generations of students. Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day is a chance to help young people reflect on her bravery, talk about justice and anti-racism, and take steps, literally and figuratively, toward a better, more inclusive future for all.

To support schools and communities in this important work, we’re offering $500 or $1,000 mini-grants to help bring your celebrations to life.