MDOT keeping most rest areas open year-round

December 3, 2018 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will keep nearly all of the state's 77 rest areas open this winter to maintain the convenience and safety they provide to motorists, but will again close five seasonal areas beginning today.

            "Many travelers look to our network of rest areas for a safe stopping point on their travels, which is why we keep as many open as possible year-round," said State Transportation Director Mark Van Port Fleet.

            Only five rest areas are closed each year for a 20-week period, which will be this winter from Dec. 3 to April 24, 2019. The seasonal closures are due to reduced use during winter months and safety concerns, such as steep entrance and exit drives and potentially slippery conditions on stairways between parking lots and buildings.

            The following five rest areas will close Dec. 3 and reopen in April:

            - St. Ignace Rest Area on southbound I-75 in Mackinac County

            - Ludington Rest Area on northbound US-31 in Mason County

            - Topinabee Rest Area on northbound I-75 in Cheboygan County

            - Hebron Rest Area on southbound I-75 in Cheboygan County

            - Hart Rest Area on southbound US-31 in Oceana County

            Closed rest areas are locked and winterized, with exit and entrance ramps barricaded. Designated rest areas will have "Closed Until Spring" signs posted and will have the mileage to the next open rest area listed.

            Closed rest areas will be listed on MDOT's website at www.michigan.gov/restareas.

CONTACT: James Lake, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-0993, lakej1@michigan.gov

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Visit MDOT's Mi Drive traffic information website: www.michigan.gov/drive

State transportation economic development grant to improve two roads in Bay County's Williams Township

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018
CONTACT: Michael Leon, TEDF Program Manager, Office of Economic Development, 517-241-2568 

November 14, 2018 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded a $518,127 Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) Category A grant to the Bay County Road Commission (BCRC) to reconstruct and resurface parts of Flajole and Salzburg roads in Williams Township. The grant will leverage $4,700,000 in private investment, at a private/public ratio of more than 9-to-1.

             Falcon Road Maintenance Equipment, LLC, manufactures asphalt hot boxes and tack distributors for routine pavement repairs such as patching and filling potholes. The company has outgrown its current facility in Midland and is relocating to a 15-acre site at the intersection of Salzburg and Flajole roads in Williams Township. The location, with its proximity to the state trunkline system, was considered an ideal location for the company's new headquarters and production facility.

             The BCRC will reconstruct and pave Flajole Road from Falcon's shipping entrance, 800 feet north of Salzburg Road, to Salzburg Road. Additionally, it will resurface Salzburg Road from the company entrance on Salzburg to M-47 and improve the intersection of Salzburg and Flajole roads. This roadwork will enable Falcon to proceed with their $4,700,000 expansion, resulting in 50 new full-time positions over the next three years.

             The condition of Flajole Road, which provides access to Falcon's shipping and receiving area, presented an obstacle the company's relocation plans. The road's existing gravel surface is weight-restricted and would force the company to reduce their truck loads when frost laws are in effect, thereby increasing their transportation costs. In addition, the pavement on Salzburg Road is nearing the end of its operational life. The increase in traffic generated by Falcon will accelerate this deterioration, effectively shortening the life span of this roadway.

             "The support we've received from Williams Township, Bay Future, and MDOT, specifically, has been terrific," said Michael Day, president of Falcon Road Maintenance Equipment, LLC. "The pavement improvement project on Flajole Road is important and will ensure our employees, customers and vendors will have safe entrance and exit lanes from our facility to Salzburg Road. Everyone in the community will benefit from this improvement project and we look forward to moving into our new facility in late 2018."

            The total cost for the project is $863,544, including $518,127 in TEDF Category A funding, and $345,417 from the BCRC.

            Enacted in 1987 and reauthorized in 1993, the TEDF helps finance highway, road and street projects that are critical to the movement of people and products, and getting workers to their jobs, materials to growers and manufacturers, and finished goods to consumers.

            TEDF "Category A" or "Targeted Industries Program" grants provide state funding for public roadway improvements that allow road agencies to respond quickly to the transportation needs of expanding companies and eliminate inadequate roadways as an obstacle to private investment and job creation. Eligible road agencies include MDOT, county road commissions, cities and villages. More information about the program is available online at www.michigan.gov/tedf.

 Visit MDOT's Mi Drive traffic information website: www.michigan.gov/drive

Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council Receives Special Tribute from Governor Snyder

October 24, 2018 -- The Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC) received a special tribute from Governor Rick Snyder at its annual fall conference in Marquette Tuesday. The tribute was presented to members of the TAMC by Therese Empie, Senior Strategy Advisor from the Office of the Governor.

     The Governor praised TAMC for its efforts to improve Michigan’s infrastructure through the promotion of asset management techniques and performance measurement. Referring to the council’s efforts, the text of the tribute recognized TAMC for its best practices “as they support the development of asset management methodologies and provide education and training on the benefits of developing road improvement programs through the use of asset management principles and procedures.”

      “It’s an honor for TAMC to be recognized,” said Chairperson Joanna I. Johnson. “We share this with all of the transportation agencies across the state for years of collaboration, data gathering and promoting asset management principles to make data driven decisions."

     Johnson, the Managing Director of the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County, represents the County Road Association of Michigan for the TAMC.

     Three additional TAMC members were present at the event, including Derek Bradshaw, Director-Coordinator for the Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission, representing the Michigan Association of Regions; Robert Slattery, emcee for the event and Director of the Department of Public Works for the City of Burton, representing the Michigan Municipal League; and Brad Wieferich, Director of the Bureau of Development for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), representing MDOT.

The educational conference included representatives from cities and villages, county road commissions, MDOT and the private sector. Topics discussed included recent condition data for roads and bridges, comparison of geology and soil types with road conditions, capital preventive maintenance techniques, the potential benefits of bundling bridge projects, the results of TAMC’s recent culvert pilot project, and a discussion of recent state legislation creating the Michigan Infrastructure Council and the Water Asset Management Council.

     Transportation asset management is a process of managing public assets, such as roads and bridges, based on the long-range condition of the entire transportation system. TAMC, created in 2002 by the Michigan Legislature, promotes the concept that the transportation system is unified, rather than separated by jurisdictional ownership. Its mission is to recommend an asset management strategy to the Michigan Infrastructure Council and provide an annual report to the Michigan Infrastructure Council, the State Transportation Commission, the legislature, and the transportation committees of the house and senate each year.

 

Chair: Joanna Johnson, CRA; Vice-Chair: Bill McEntee, CRA; Bob Slattery, MML; Gary Mekjian, MML;

Jon Start, MTPA; Brad Wieferich, MDOT; Don Disselkoen, MAC;

Derek Bradshaw, MAR; Jennifer Tubbs, MTA; Rob Surber, MCSS

 

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View road and bridge conditions, interactive dashboards and learn more about

Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council: www.michigan.gov/tamc

Contact: Joanna I. Johnson, TAMC Chair

269-381-3170 ext. 220   jjohnson@kalamazoocountyroads.com

US-10 Business Route Study Guided "Road Diet" Decisions

In December 2016, the Michigan Department of Transportation released a study, prepared by DLZ Michigan, Inc., that examined current conditions along the US-10 Business Route in Midland, and became the blueprint for the current Buttles Street road diet test.

The study examined various alternatives for the entire Business Route, but several study objectives in particular apply to the Buttles road diet in particular. “Increase connectivity to Downtown Midland and Discovery Square”, and “Improve non-motorized mobility and eliminate barriers for bicyclists/pedestrians with minimal impacts to traffic flow” both relate to the current project.

Ultimately, the study recommended that MDOT move forward with one of a number of proposed alternatives. Alternative 1 became the preferred option after some modifications due to public and stakeholder input. This “would provide non-motorized facilities on Indian Street and Buttles Street. Currently along Indian and Buttles Streets, there is approximately 22-26 feet of width available to implement the non-motorized options. This width includes the existing outside travel lane to the existing right-of-way line, allowing sufficient room for bike lanes, non-motorized paths, sidewalks, and/or green/buffer strips.”

The entire study can be found here. (Note, this document is rather large, and may take a few moments to load or download)

Visit the new MiDrive website for Construction Updates

A great article on the new MDOT MiDrive website for construction and traffic information is at constructionequipmentguide.com

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/michigan-dots-redesigned-mi-drive-site-lets-drivers-know-before-they-go/42161

And you can get a link to the MiDrive site from our page with other helpful links and sites, here:

https://www.midlandmpo.org/new-page-2

MDOT's Bay Region Continuing to Expand Support for Pollinators

Contact: Jocelyn Hall, MDOT Office of Communications, 989-245-7117
Agency: Transportation

Fast facts:

  • MDOT's Bay Region has expanded support for pollinators with right-of-way sunflower plantings and Monarch Waystation certifications at most rest areas and Welcome Centers.

  • MDOT's master gardeners have worked to establish Monarch Waystation certification at nearly all rest areas and Welcome Centers across the Bay Region.

  • MSU Extension is now offering a free online course for individuals interested in learning more to boost pollinator support.

September 11, 2018 -- As the global pollinator crisis continues to rage, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has increased efforts to support endangered pollinators by expanding food sources for honeybees and now monarch butterflies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) attributes the pollination of more than 75 percent of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables consumed by humans to the efforts of bees and other pollinating insects. To support their effort to support us, creating reliable food sources for bees and butterflies is an important component.

In 2016, MDOT's Bay Region piloted its first right-of-way sunflower planting, hoping to identify a hearty plant that could thrive in the challenging soil and air conditions adjacent to a freeway. The planting was deemed a success, as the flowers bloomed as intended, but the location was also found to be very popular among a number of bee species. The pop of color didn't hurt either and was well received by many motorists. Additionally, the timing of the planting resulted in a late bloom, with most of the plants flowering in late August, which extended the timing of the food source later into the season, when many bees might struggle to find food.

Following a successful pilot season, MDOT staff approached the second year with plans to expand the sunflowers, identifying locations in both Bay and Isabella counties. With three successful sites for sunflowers now established, MDOT Resource Analyst Amanda Novak is researching different perennial seed mixes that may become an addition, or eventual replacement, to the annual sunflowers.

"Perennial plantings may be initially more expensive but over time they become self-sustaining," said Novak. "If we do this right, we find the correct mix, and we put in the initial work required with these plantings, they will eventually become a consistent food source for pollinators with very minimal maintenance on our part."

Bees are not the only pollinator in need of a reliable food source. Monarch butterflies are known to be essential to pollination and boast an impressive migration pattern, traveling as far south as Mexico during the winter. This is where MDOT's master gardeners (MG) come into play.

MDOT is fortunate to partner with the Michigan State University (MSU) Extension MG program, which has two primary goals: provide education and research-based horticulture science to motivated and active gardeners, and turn those trained gardeners into volunteers who will work to share their knowledge with the public. The program requires extensive education completed in a classroom setting, followed by 40 hours of volunteer work before participants are granted their MG certification. Maintaining the certification status requires continued education and volunteer hours throughout the year, which are no trouble for MDOT's MGs overseeing rest areas.

Rest areas with MG oversight are privileged to have some of the most outstanding flower beds. They're carefully designed around their adaptability to the surrounding conditions and their blooming patterns. Most importantly, the flower beds are maintained through the season by MDOT MG volunteers.

Over the past two years, MDOT's dedicated MGs have worked to establish Monarch Waystation certification at the rest areas they oversee. The purpose of the waystation is to provide resources necessary for monarchs to produce successful generations and sustain their migration. A certified Monarch Waystation contains milkweed and other plants attractive to monarchs, and not only provides food but also a place for the butterflies to continue producing successful generations. 

"Providing these waystations was a very important goal for our MGs," says master gardener and former lead for the Swartz Creek Rest Area, Brenda Monty. "This is something that anyone can do - schools, private homeowners, business owners - they can all make a commitment to establish a dedicated area with milkweed and other nectar plants for our monarchs. This is something we are committed to doing for our butterfly population, and it's worth every bit of effort our team has put in."

MSU Extension has recently introduced a Pollinator Champion program ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the pollination process in its entirety and what every individual can do to encourage healthy pollination. The course is conveniently offered online at a self-driven pace and is available to anyone interested in learning more, including current MGs who will also earn education credits upon completion.

For more information about the Pollinator Champion program and the Monarch Waystation certification, go to:

UPDATED: Michigan Road Construction Work Stoppage to Continue After Contract Talks Break Down

This story has been updated:

Gov. Snyder: Road projects to get underway immediately as labor impasse is resolved.

https://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-80388_80397-479495--,00.html

ClickonDetroit September 20, 2018 -

WARREN, Mich. - Contract talks in the Michigan roadwork stoppage are over, and the sides don't have a deal. The negotiations aiming to restart critical road projects came to an abrupt stop.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder hoped a new round of negotiations would get workers back on the job, but negotiations ended Thursday with union operators leaving the bargaining table, saying officials had reneged on a handshake deal.

Staff members at the governor's office are fuming over the claims.

Snyder is threatening to put National Guard heavy equipment operators behind the wheel to get the construction projects going again.

The union and the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association started talking earlier this week, and there was hope that the two organizations would come to an agreement and restart the projects. But that effort has failed in spectacular fashion.

From China, Snyder directed his staff to get mediation going with MITA and the Operating Engineers 324.

On Monday afternoon, OE 324 thought it had a deal. But as the week went on and the heavy equipment sat unused, and wet from heavy rains, the union's lawyers met repeatedly with the governor's staff until talks finally broke down Thursday afternoon.

"We are deeply disappointed that MITA is now torpedoing our agreement with the Gov. Rick Snoyder administration that would have brought workers and contractors together," OE 324 President Ken Dombrow said in a statement. "The only fair way to resolve this dispute is for OE 324 leaders to meet with the governor immediately so that we can get back to work fixing the roads."

Snyder isn't scheduled to return to the state from China until this weekend.

Meanwhile, MITA, the negotiating group for many of the highway construction contractors, contradicted the engineers' assessment of the situation.

"There was no deal torpedoed," MITA Executive Vice President Mike Nystrom said. "We want to get back to work."

Nystrom said he hadn't heard from the governor's office since Monday.

"Operating Engineers 324 put out a release that is flat-out filled with lies to the public and its membership," Nystrom said.

OE 324 had a lot more to say about the situation.

“Operating Engineers 324 has bent over backwards during this entire process to make sure that critical road projects are completed without pain and inconvenience for Michigan drivers. Our road builders showed up every day to do their job, even without a contract since June,” Dombrow said.

Nystrom said MITA is going to start looking for subcontractors, even out-of-state contractors, to come in and try to get the work finished.

Here is a full statement from Nystrom:

"Today the leaders of OE 324, Doug Stockwell and Ken Dombrow, issued a statement to the media falsely claiming that MITA rejected an agreement Monday negotiated by the Governor’s Office to put OE 324 members back to work. Unfortunately for OE 324 members and motorists who are waiting for the industry to get back to work fixing Michigan’s roads, these supposed leaders have flat out lied and are proving to be as dishonest and no more trustworthy than their predecessor, John Hamilton. The truth is that MITA and OE 324 were asked to meet with the Governor’s Office Monday in an attempt to start some sort of talks. Both parties met separately with the Governor’s team, but no form of an agreement was ever finalized. Discussions continued between the Governor’s Office and OE 324 throughout the week in an effort to set up some form of a mediation session, which was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 21. OE 324 has now walked away and continues to refuse to meet to even start real and productive talks, just as they have all summer long. Instead of coming to the table for talks, Mr. Stockwell and Mr. Dombrow continue to collect their paychecks and enjoy their fringe benefits while their members continue to wait for a new contract while receiving no pay and no benefits, and Michigan motorists continue to drive on some of the worst roads in the nation. MITA member companies are more unified than ever, and I will say it again: This defensive lockout will end as soon as the union ratifies the industry-proposed contract. The industry will work with the Governor’s Office and MDOT in order to make progress on as many road projects as possible with available workers who are qualified to safely operate the equipment needed to complete a quality project."

Here is the latest statement from the governor's office:

"On behalf of the the Governor’s team, I can unequivocally state that the Operating Engineers 324’s claims in its news release are patently untrue. Our team was working on a simple resolution: extend until December a contract that expired in June. That way, the Governor’s top priority — using historic levels of funding to fix Michigan’s roads — could be done this fall as planned. Professional mediation could then be used to help the two sides resolve their differences.

"We even confirmed that one of the mediators who successfully completed the Grand Bargain bankruptcy for Detroit would assist with the mediation. Neither side accepted our numerous offers to help find a resolution.

"This unacceptable work stoppage will put motorists’ safety at risk this winter. Gov. Snyder remains committed to resolving this situation and is looking at what options are available to finish projects as quickly as possible. These options range from withholding payments for contractors to activating the National Guard and using their heavy equipment operators for roadwork.

"Gov. Snyder’s team has been working in good faith to end a standoff that has jeopardized the safety of motorists and workers. This unacceptable work stoppage has resulted in road projects sitting idle at a time when historic levels of road funding should see work accelerating, not slowing down.

"Gov. Snyder also has contacted the National Labor Relations Board to ask it to accelerate the review of unfair labor practice charges that have been filed in this case."

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