2024 MATS Final Acceptance Report

An MPO Final Acceptance Report is a formal document that serves to confirm the completion and final approval of a transportation planning project or initiative within an MPO region. MPOs are responsible for overseeing and coordinating transportation planning efforts in metropolitan areas, ensuring that transportation systems are safe, efficient, and aligned with regional goals.

2024 MATS MPO Annual Obligation Report

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) are regional bodies responsible for coordinating transportation planning in urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or more. They bring together local government officials, transportation agencies, and other stakeholders to plan and prioritize transportation projects and investments for the region. They also play a key role in the distribution of federal transportation funds for projects like road improvements, transit systems, and bike/pedestrian infrastructure.

After the conclusion of each programming year, in this case October 1, 2023 to September 20, 2024, MPOs must disclose to local governments, stakeholders and the public "an annual listing of obligated projects” for projects that are to receive federal funding. When a project is "obligated," it means that the federal government has made a formal commitment to fund the project. The funds are allocated and set aside for that specific project, but they are not necessarily available for use immediately.

MATS is an MPO for the Midland Urbanized area that includes all of Midland County, the City of Auburn and Williams Charter Township in Bay County, and Tittabawassee Township in Saginaw County. There are three public transit agencies operate within the MATS planning area; they are Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART), County Connection of Midland and Bay Metro Transportation Authority (BMTA).

The document linked below illustrates projects that have been obligated in the MATS area.

2021-2023 Traffic Volumes across Trunkline, Non-Trunkline, and Commercial Trunkline Roads

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has created an interactive online map that lets users explore traffic volumes from 2021 to 2023. This map provides valuable insights into road usage patterns on different types of roads, including Trunkline, Non-Trunkline, and Commercial Trunkline roads.

2024 MATS Area Road Surface Condition Maps

The Midland Area Transportation Study has completed PASER data collection for Midland County and collected data from Bay County Road Commission for Williams Township and Saginaw County Road Commission for Tittabawassee Township. PASER stands for Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, which involves visually inspecting a road and assigning a score on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being a failed road and 10 being in excellent condition. Trained individuals drive along a road segment and visually evaluate the surface condition based on factors like cracks, potholes, rutting, and overall pavement distress. This data is used by transportation agencies to prioritize road maintenance projects, allocate funding, and monitor the overall condition of their road network.

Maps are available for the data that was collected. These maps are not a representation of the entire road network within the MATS Area. It contains federal-aid, including but not limited to Other Principal Arterial, Other Freeway, Minor Arterial, Major Collector, Minor Collector, and also includes some local roads.

County Connection of Midland - New Freedom Program

The New Freedom Program is a unique transportation opportunity that assists seniors, veterans, and people with ADA disabilities get to their non-emergency medical appointments. This service is volunteer based and will provide non-emergency transportation to hospitals, medical facilities, health clinics, and doctors outside the county of Midland and within the state of Michigan.

Rides are not a guarantee and are based on availability. To inquire more about this service please contact (989) 374-2000.

FY 2023 Annual Obligation Report for MATS Area Released

Midland Area Transportation Study (MATS) has recently compiled listing of obligated transportation projects during FY 2023 (between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023). The list comprises all road, bridge, transit, safety, rail and other projects that the federal or state funding was committed to within Midland County, Williams Twp, Tittabawassee Twp and the City of Auburn.

It is crucial to understand the difference between obligated and completed/constructed. Obligation is a term used in federal budgeting and financial management that refers to a legally enforceable commitment that will result in current or future outlays. When a government agency signs a contract to rehabilitate a bridge, for example, it takes on an obligation. Projects that were “obligated” in 2023 may not be completed until 2024, 2025 or 2026. Some projects that were completed in 2023 were “obligated” in previous fiscal years and will not be part of 2023 list. FY 2023 Annual Obligation Report for MATS area is available by clicking the button below.

FY 2023 Road Condition Ratings for MATS Area Released

Midland Area Transportation Study (MATS) has recently compiled roadway surface condition data for FY 2023 for roads in the federal-aid network. The road ratings are for all of Midland County, Williams Twp, Tittabawassee Twp and the City of Auburn.

Roadway surface condition data was compiled by the combined efforts of staff from the City of Midland, Midland/Bay/Saginaw County Road Commissions, MDOT and MATS. Maps showing these ratings can be seen by clicking the button below.

New State Funding Propels Midland’s Efforts to Reduce Flooding and Increase Resiliency

Note: Op-ed by J.W. Fisher and Lee Ann Keller, Co-chairs of the MBA Advisory Committee on Infrastructure

Published Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Midland, Michigan - There were two earmarks for the City of Midland in the final budget that Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed on July 31. The first is $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The second is a $15 million enhancement from the State for Midland’s projects. Each of these grants will have specific requirements around timelines, reporting and use of funds. We are currently working to get all of the details from Lansing, while also meeting with the City’s team to start planning.

But the bottom line is this: we will be receiving $40 million of funding to put to good work in reducing flooding and building resiliency in Midland. We should all celebrate this progress and support from Lansing.

The Midland Business Alliance (MBA) Advisory Committee on Infrastructure wants to thank our local representatives and their staff for their continued support of our efforts to reduce the frequency and severity of mid-Michigan’s flooding. We especially wish to thank Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet, Representative Bill G. Schuette, and Senator Roger Hauck who fought to get our needed funding included in the budget. We also thank all of the lawmakers who passed the budget.

We are excited about this level of support. It will allow us to make significant, tangible progress in the shorter term and to start addressing elements of a longer-term plan. Working alongside the City of Midland, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the County of Midland, we believe we will find actionable solutions to improve the safety of citizens, promote growth and economic vitality in mid-Michigan, and improve water quality in the watershed and the Saginaw Bay.

We believe it is imperative to the health and well-being of our community – our residents, businesses, the local economy and the environment – to concentrate efforts on reducing the impacts and negative effects of future flooding. Our thanks go out to our lawmakers for their continued work on the infrastructure legislation and appropriations that will contribute greatly to these efforts and improve Michigan’s future. We also thank the organizations, stakeholders and the local citizens who have supported our work.

Lee Ann Keller is owner and CEO of Omni Tech, a global technical and business consulting company in Midland that specializes in strategic planning, biobased product commercialization, and DEI strategies/training. She and her company have been actively involved in the Midland community for more than 30 years. Lee and her family reside on Sanford Lake.

J.W. Fisher is the president of Fisher Contracting Company, a heavy/highway civil contractor with locations in Michigan and Kentucky and part of Fisher Companies. Since 1925, four generations of the Fisher family have provided civil construction services to federal, state, municipal and private clients throughout the Midwest and Southeast. He and his family reside in Midland.

More information about the MBA Advisory Committee on Infrastructure can be found at www.MBAmi.org/floodstudy.