MDOT seeks public input for 25-year transportation plan

Denyse Shannon - MDOT

Over the next four months the Michigan Department of Transportation will be asking for public input on its Michigan Mobility 2045, or MM 2045 plan.

The long-range transportation plan that started with talks last May, will set priorities for the state for the next 25 years.

MDOT hopes to get a large, diverse group of residents and stakeholders to give input on transportation priorities like highways, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian traffic through the end of April.

The state is trying to get input from as many people as possible and is using newer technology in its outreach effort.

Online surveys, telephone town halls and visioning sessions along with the use of a public involvement software called Metroquest to try to get more people involved.

A draft of the transportation plan, and an interactive survey are available on line at www.michiganmobility.org.

Comments can also be sent to mdot-michiganmobility@michigan.gov, or shared on social media at www.facebook.com/michigandot.

Annual Michigan State of the Great Lakes Report Released

Dec. 19, 2018

Science, collaboration and community feature in 2018 State of the Great Lakes report

Looking for a window into the world of managing freshwater systems? Check out the 2018 edition of the annual Michigan State of the Great Lakes report, now available for readers to dive into.

Articles written by contributors from university, government, environmental and other organizations collectively tell a story of Great Lakes ecosystems, communities and restoration. They celebrate research findings, environmental restoration projects and community engagement initiatives; and raise awareness about the challenges – things like effects of chemical contaminants and re-establishing locally extinct fish species – that resource managers are working to overcome.   

“Our goal as state resource managers is to support healthy Great Lakes and sustainable coastal communities,” said OGL Director Jon W. Allan. “The stories in the State of the Great Lakes report reflect the work, innovation and partnerships that go into realizing that vision.”

Read the report ►

U.S. Census Releases Population Estimates for 2018

Eric Guthrie, Michigan’s State Demographer December 19, 2018

Today the U.S. Census Bureau released the vintage 2018 national and state population estimates. These estimates add 2018 to the estimate series and recalculate the previous estimates released since the most recent decennial census in 2010.

Michigan displayed a population increase again in 2018, up by over 19,000 to 9,995,915. Michigan has displayed population additions in each of the last seven releases. The state has also recorded in 2018 the second positive net migration estimate in as many years. This seems to indicate a reversal of the trend of negative net migration, which up until last year’s release, had been estimated since before 2001.

Estimates Highlights

While the overall 2018 population advance in Michigan was fairly small, up by 0.2 percent, it was the second largest numeric population addition this decade, after last year’s increase. With the recent gains in population, the state will likely exceed the 10 million mark in 2019, based on recent trends.

Overall, the population of Michigan has increased by 1.2 percent since 2010, a relatively small gain. Michigan is still not back to the peak population registered in the last decade, but continued progress will possibly allow the state to surpass the 2004 peak sometime in the next decade.

The release of the population estimates for Michigan includes measures in addition to the total population. The population estimates also provide percent population change over the period, between the most recent years, and the components that go into the production of population estimates.

While Michigan has seen population increases over the last several years, those gains have been small and constrained by negative net migration. Those estimates of negative net migration have been revised to some degree and have lessened the loss that was estimated for previous years. With those changes, the state is now estimated to have registered population advances each year since 2010. This is a change from the previous series where the population had been estimated to have declined in 2011.

It is good news that Michigan’s estimates of net migration have improved, but it is important to note that the reason Michigan’s migration has become positive is due to international migration. Michigan is still losing people to other states, but the state’s international migration is outpacing the losses from domestic migration. Michigan is an attractive location for international migrants, but migration can change quickly, and international migration is especially susceptible to change based on external factors.

For more Information

These estimates are available through the U.S. Census Bureau and are available on their population estimates page and through their data retrieval tool, American FactFinder. Data on a wide variety of topics are also linked directly from our website, www.milmi.org/population.

"A town worth slowing down for" says article on road diet project

In a new article featured on the Catalyst Midland site, reporter Ben Tierney looks a little bit deeper into the reasons behind the Buttles Street Road Diet project. He looks at the goals for going the lane reduction experiment in the first place, and finds out what it might lead to in the future for downtown Midland.

Read the entire article Here:

Federal Transportation Investment in MATS’ Area Significantly Increases

MIDLAND, Mi., December 3rd, 2018- The Midland Area Transportation Study (MATS) has released its Annual Report, showing increased Federal funding obligated in the MATS area for Fiscal Year 2018, for roads and transit. State and Local funds are included in the report for reference.

The 2018 MATS Annual Report:

• Shows that overall Federal investment in the MATS area is up sharply over FY 2017.

• Federal funding increased from 8.3 to 31 million dollars, with roads and bridges being the largest beneficiary, particularly the new M-20 Bridge.

• Some of this investment continues to be due to emergency funding related to the June 2017 flooding.

• Transit obligations have returned to historical levels, at 1.6 million. This is partially due to 5 new buses purchased by local Transit agencies.

According to MATS Director Maja Bolanowska, these obligations "are small MPO area surface transportation, safety, rural roads, transit operating and transit capital funds. They allow many projects to be completed. All these categories of funding represent federal gas tax revenues coming back to the local community”.

About the Midland Area Transportation Study: MATS is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Midland Area, established in January 2013. MATS focuses on regional transportation planning services and helps to create intergovernmental cooperation. MATS is a policy-making agency, developing transportation plans and programming Federal-aid projects while providing public outreach regarding transportation issues. The MATS metropolitan planning region is defined as the entire geographic County of Midland, the geographic area of City of Auburn and Williams Township within Bay County and Tittabawassee Township in Saginaw County. For additional information, please visit www.midlandmpo.org or call (989) 832-6333.

Read the details here.

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

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