Talking Michigan Transportation

Guest Emily Adler, Director of content at Streetlight, discusses the significant decline in walking trips in the U.S. attributed to factors like online deliveries and remote work. Data from Streetlight shows a 36% drop from 2019 to 2022. The podcast highlights the importance of active transportation and the need for data-driven investments in walking and biking infrastructure post-pandemic. Also, it explores pedestrian safety and the influence of pandemic-related driving shifts on road safety.

Discussion on why distracted driving initially trended down in Michigan after the state's hands-free law took effect, but is now increasing. The technology of Cambridge Mobile Telematics is explained, showing a 36% reduction in distracted driving around the time the law took effect in Michigan. However, some of those gains have been erased, a trend seen in other states with similar legislation. Data released by the company shows distraction in Michigan has increased every month since month 3, totaling a 7.6% increase. Ohio's distraction level increased 2.4%, three times lower.

 This week, the Michigan Senate’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard testimony on legislation that would allow for the use of safety cameras to monitor the speeds of vehicles driving through road construction projects. Pam Shadel Fischer, senior director of External Engagement at the Governors Highway Safety Association, returns to the podcast to tout the effectiveness of the technology in other states. Later, Gregg Brunner, chief engineer and chief operations officer at the Michigan Department of Transportation, explains why he supports the legislation and his takeaway after viewing a demonstration of the technology along a busy freeway. Michigan could join 17 other states employing the technology to lower speeds in work zones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. According to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, more than 100,000 crashes occurred in work zones in 2020, resulting in an estimated 44,000 work zone injury crashes and 857 work zone crash deaths. From a report on the topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "The relationship between driving speed and the risk of a crash and/or fatality is well established. In 2019, 26 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities occurred in crashes in which at least one driver was speeding." 

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations with two people seeking to better understand the reasons for an uptick in wrong-way driving and to mitigate the risks.First, Gary Bubar, a traffic safety specialist for AAA Michigan, talks about the trend and his organization’s awareness and education efforts. He explains that elderly drivers and those who are intoxicated are much more likely to be wrong-way drivers.Speaking to the Detroit News (subscription) recently about wrong-way crash statistics, Bubar said, “These numbers are only insignificant if you're not the one involved, or if you don't know anyone involved. Across the country, we have about 350 to 400 wrong-way fatality crashes a year. If you're one of those or related to one of those, that number is huge."Bubar also talks about the disturbing trend, highlighted in a Michigan State Police news release this week, of fewer people using seat belts.Later, Erick Kind, Grand Region engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), talks about some measures being implemented to help address wrong-way crashes on the US-131 freeway in Grand Rapids. Kind talks about some technology being employed at freeway ramps where drivers have been found to enter in the wrong direction. These steps are in addition to some things MDOT and other departments have implemented in recent years: Lowered “Do Not Enter” signs to improve headlight angles.Added reflective strips to “Do Not Enter” and "Wrong Way” signposts.Added backside red reflective strips along the length of the off ramps.Added stop bars and turn arrows at ramp approaches, in addition to wrong-way arrows placed further back.Added turning guideline markings at ramps where the on and off ramps are adjacent to each other.Painted curbed islands at ramp terminals.

Understanding the intricacies of a state's transportation funding can be a daunting task. On this week’s episode of the Talking Michigan Transportation, Bill Hamilton, a policy analyst in the Michigan House Fiscal Agency and transportation luminary, talks about his work. The discussion also includes an overview of Michigan's Transportation Fund (MTF) and the Comprehensive Transportation Fund (CTF), which funds public transportation. Hamilton talks about a report he posted recently that analyzes the CTF in the wake of some additional appropriations. These include a $15 million annual increase in CTF funding for transit and $45 million in federal pandemic relief funds for local bus operations in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Hamilton explains that most of the public transit funds are appropriated for local bus operating assistance to some 80 agencies across the state. He also discusses the incentives for the agencies to draw down more funds by raising their own revenues through millages or other initiatives. 

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Shane Peck, communications and public involvement director and vice president at WSP, talks about a major study he co-authored examining the most effective way to explain the benefits of transportation.The research identified and tested a broad range of evidence-based themes and presented five key themes:“Transportation that works for everyone improves all our lives.” (Equity)"More reliable transportation makes your commute less stressful.” (Easier Commutes) “Improving transportation means you can get where you need to go - quickly and easily.” (Mobility)“Time spent sitting in traffic is time away from the important things in life.” (Time)“Investing in transportation creates more jobs in your community.” (Jobs)Peck talks about how transportation agencies can capitalize on the research to better explain what they do. 

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation enabling Michigan’s first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on a segment of I-75 in Oakland County. This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with the project manager and an official with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), who offer some national perspective.First, Mark Dubay, the Michigan Department of Transportation project manager on the segment of the Modernize 75 project, which includes the HOV lanes, explains the implementation plans and timeline. Later, Larry Dwyer, program director of operations at AASHTO, talks about the history of managed lanes and successes in other states.Things to know about the I-75 HOV lanes:They will use the left lane in each direction of I-75 between 12 Mile Road and South Boulevard. They will operate as HOV lanes during peak travel times: 6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. During those times, vehicles must have at least two human occupants to legally use the lanes. State and local police will monitor the safe movement of vehicles in the HOV lanes to ensure drivers have the proper number of occupants. Civil infractions will be issued to violators.Motorcycles, transit busses, first responders, and emergency vehicles are exempt from occupant requirements.Outside of those designated weekday hours, the lanes are available for all motorists regardless the number of occupants. Michigan joins more than two dozen other states in opening HOV lanes. This summary of state programs allowing exempt vehicle use of HOV/high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes outlines the various provisions. 

Ryan Mitchell, recently named director of the newly established Office of Major Projects at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), joins the podcast. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) categorizes major projects as those with a price tag of $500 million or more. Mitchell helped establish and refine the alternative delivery and critical project delivery programs of numerous U.S. transportation agencies, including the state transportation departments of Nevada, Texas, Alaska, and Michigan.He explains the various types of alternative delivery of projects and the benefits. Other links and references: Innovative contracting at MDOThttps://www.Michigan.gov/MDOT/Business/Contractors/InnovativeContracting   MDOT’s Modernize 75 projecthttps://www.Modernize75.com/ 

Early in 2022, the Detroit News reported that criminals had taken to the city's freeways to settle arguments with guns and avoid the city's network of high-definition surveillance cameras at gas stations and other locations. Michigan State Police reports show at least two shootings happened every month on Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county freeways in 2021. And that is despite increased police patrols that were launched in response to what officials said was then an unprecedented wave of high-speed violence. First Lt. Michael Shaw of the Michigan State Police joins the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast this week to talk about how license plate readers are being deployed to help. Later, he talks about how excessive speeding continues even as the pandemic subsided and more vehicles returned to the roads. He talked about the increase in speeding and fatal crashes on a previous edition early in the pandemic.  Other relevant links: https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/virginia-supreme-court-sees-through-police-claim-license https://www.dhs.gov/publication/st-automated-license-plate-reader-fact-sheet https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/rise-in-preventable-traffic-crashes-leading-to-spike-in-serious-injuries 

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with John Peracchio, a veteran strategic consultant in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) sector and automotive industry. Topics include: How concerns about what electric vehicles (EVs) mean to the future of work in the industry. https://www.npr.org/2023/09/13/1199260328/how-concerns-over-evs-are-driving-the-uaw-towards-a-strikeAnalysts suggesting EV growth cannot be sustained. https://www.businessinsider.com/ev-electric-car-sales-plateau-early-adopters-competition-2023-8 Peracchio’s work with Feonix on technology to provide mobility solutions to all.Movement on legislation to allow for high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in Michigan. After being adopted in the state House in June, a Senate committee heard testimony on Sept. 12, with a vote in the Senate expected next week.