Talking Michigan Transportation

On part II of special Black History Month editions of the Talking Michigan Transportation, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist talks about the importance of the project to convert the I-375 depressed freeway to an at-grade boulevard, reconnecting neighborhoods. As a child growing up near those neighborhoods, and hearing the stories of relatives who recalled the razing of black-owned homes and businesses in the name of urban renewal, Gilchrist has personal reasons to be excited about the future, which he’s discussed previously.  In September, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Gilchrist, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and others to formally award the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) a nearly $105 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to boost the project. Gilchrist also underscores the social and environmental justice components of the I-375 project and how the same principles apply to developing the intermodal facility and rethinking Michigan Avenue.Later, Gilchrist talks about a major economic development announcement this week that he participated in with Gov. Whitmer as Ford Motor Co. unveiled plans for a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Marshall, Michigan.

On special Black History Month editions of the Talking Michigan Transportation, conversations about the Michigan Department of Transportation’s project to transform the I-375 freeway into an at-grade urban boulevard, reconnecting neighborhoods to the east with downtown Detroit. In this episode, retired Detroit Free Press reporter and editor Bill McGraw talks about what he learned in his reporting about the history of the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods on the city’s east side. Black business owners and residents were displaced as city administrations dating back to the 1940s pursued an urban renewal plan that included eventual plans for a freeway through the neighborhood. McGraw explains how a once thriving Black business district on Hastings Street, with banks, hospitals, clothing stores, restaurants, and other service providers, was destroyed to make way for development that largely benefitted white developers and residents.  One Detroit Free Press story (paywall) describes in rich detail what was lost: "One of many notable establishments was Sunnie Wilson’s sprawling Forest Club, at Forest and Hastings. It featured a 107-foot bar, bowling alley, banquet hall and a two-story roller-skating rink. Beginners went upstairs." Later this week, another podcast episode will feature a conversation with Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who has strong family connections to the neighborhoods, and he talks about what the project means to him. We’ll also talk about a major economic development announcement this week that he participated in with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as Ford Motor Co. unveiled plans for a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Marshall, Michigan.

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Trevor Pawl, who recently moved on from his pioneering role as the state’s chief mobility officer, reflects on all the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) accomplished during his tenure and why he thinks more good things are ahead.Pawl talks about why it made sense of him and his family to move on now and what they have planned for the future.He also shares insights on hydrogen as a vehicle fuel, what the future holds and how the U.S. federal government is making moves to catch up with other nations and how Michigan is embracing a clean-energy future as discussed in this video with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist.Pawl also expounds on Michigan’s participation as one of seven Midwestern states teaming up to accelerate the development of hydrogen as a clean energy alternative. The partnership includes Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, whose economies are dominated by agriculture and heavy industry such as steel and automobile manufacturing.Among accomplishments from partners in including OFME, MDOT and other agencies, Pawl touts:Launching a first-state strategy for future mobility, the MI Future Mobility PlanBuilding America’s first road custom-built for driverless vehiclesBuilding America’s first road that charges an electric vehicle (EV) while it drivesLeading development of a signature EV route around Lake MichiganLed America’s first feasibility study for cross-border drone skywaysCreated the Midwest’s first airport innovation lab in Grand RapidsDeveloped a first-of-its kind partnership to attract 5,000 tech workers to the Michigan Central innovation district in DetroitCo-led the creation of Michigan’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) plan ($110 million for EV charging)Invested in the first autonomous, electric bus on a university campus

On this episode of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations about how supplemental appropriations legislation will boost a long-sought rebuilding of a freeway interchange that is vital to the regional flow of commuters, commerce and quality of life. First, Michigan Department of Transportation Grand Region Engineer Erick Kind talks about how the interchange at I-96 and Fruit Ridge Avenue in Walker, northwest of Grand Rapids, has been outdated and in need of improvement for several years. As with all transportation infrastructure in Michigan, decades-long underinvestment has made the improvements cost-prohibitive, despite the growing manufacturing, agricultural, service industry, and community needs in the corridor.  The interchange is categorized as functionally obsolete and in need of replacement. Fruit Ridge Avenue has five lanes north and four lanes to the south of the bridge over I-96, but the bridge has only two lanes, which presents congestion and safety challenges. In the podcast’s second segment, State Rep. Carol Glanville, who helped secure the $25 million for the project, talks about her advocacy and success helping others understand why it’s a priority not just for the city of Walker but the broader region. She also explains how expanding the Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge will allow for nonmotorized lanes and connections between trails. From previous federal grant applications for the project:  The I-96/Fruit Ridge Avenue interchange improvement project will redesign and rebuild an important freight-handling interchange located in the city of Walker, Michigan, an agricultural and manufacturing hub of west Michigan. The project serves a substantially rural workforce, which swells the city's daytime population by more than 60 percent as they commute to and from Walker industries producing products for regional and international markets through Detroit, Chicago, the Muskegon Harbor Deepwater Port, and Canada. Other relevant links: Analysis of the supplemental appropriations legislationhttp://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billanalysis/House/pdf/2023-HLA-0007-96D50F76.pdf A December announcement of a nearly 200,000-square-foot industrial facility near the interchangehttps://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/12/whats-being-built-at-walker-intersection-its-big-and-its-industrial.html

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Eric Morris, Michigan office lead for HNTB, the transportation consultant selected to complete a tolling study. Some 35 states have at least one facility with tolling. But that number is a little deceiving because Michigan would be counted in that total since there is tolling on big bridges and/or international crossings but no tolling on non-bridge road segments. Morris says the experts analyzed all 31 highways in Michigan for the study and determined that 14 could become toll roads, including large portions of Interstates 75, 94 and 96. As Bridge Michigan reported, any tolls would take years to implement and require approval from the Legislature and the governor, among numerous hurdles.  Morris talks about the differences between various road user charge (RUC) options, including mileage-based user fees (MBUF) and tolling and how pilot programs seeking people to participate have been voluntary, so far, including one in Oregon that has generated a lot of discussion.Other relevant links: A 2019 Epic-MRA poll of Michigan voter views on tolling.https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/-/media/Project/Websites/MDOT/Programs/Planning/Tolling/MDOT-Fees-EpicPoll.pdfSome things the study will cover, including managed lanes and how they work.https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/managelanes_primer/     Why Michigan doesn’t have tolling. Some history.https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/-/media/Project/Websites/MDOT/Programs/Planning/Tolling/MDOT-Toll-Roads.pdf

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Heather Grondin, vice president of corporate affairs and external relations at the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), which is overseeing the building of the Gordie Howe International Bridge (GHIB). She talks about the progress made on the bridge in 2022, the busiest so far for construction. A WDBA video released in December offered year-in-review highlights. In addition to facing the traditional challenges of any large infrastructure project, the worldwide pandemic also affected the project, though work continued with safeguards for the health of the workers.  Grondin explains that among other milestones in 2023, the towers on each side of the border will reach their full height - more than 700 feet, very close to the height of the tallest building at the Renaissance Center along the Detroit riverfront.  Soon, workers will begin connecting the first cables from the towers to the bridge and road deck. Also in 2023, work will begin on the main span over the Detroit River, which will be accomplished without any work in the river. Other ongoing developments include: All structures at the ports of entry are under construction.Construction of the ramps connecting from the U.S. Port of Entry to I-75. Grondin also highlights the sustainability components of the project, which are receiving international recognition. She also explained the varied community-benefit programs that are helping neighbors of the bridge with home improvements and offering funding for some 20 non-for-profits supporting local communities in the Delray neighborhood of Detroit and the Sandwich neighborhood in Windsor.

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Brad Wieferich, MDOT chief operations officer and chief engineer, talks about major road and bridge projects completed on state trunklines in the past year, featured in MDOT’s year-end video. Among the projects discussed: I-69/I-475 in Flint, rebuilding bridges and 2 miles of highway.I-75/US-23 in Mackinaw City, repaving and a new bridge for US-23 over I-75, $12.3 million.US-2 in Bessemer, rebuilding of the road and storm sewer upgrades, $9 million,I-496 in Lansing, rebuilding/repairing of 17 bridges and nearly 3 miles of road, $80 million.US-31/I-94/I-196 in Benton Harbor, rebuilding 3.5 miles of I-94 and building new bridges at Britain Avenue and Benton Center Road, $94 million.Second Avenue Bridge over I-94 in Detroit, replacing the original structure with the state's first network tied arch bridge, $26 millionI-96 in eastern Kent County, rebuilding more than 2 miles of the expressway between Thornapple River Drive and Whitneyville Avenue, $15 million.Wieferich also talks about some of the unique challenges MDOT staff and contractors face because of the pandemic, inflation, and supply chain issues.

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a recap of transportation-related state legislation signed into law in 2022. Guests include Aarne Frobom, a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) senior policy analyst, and Troy Hagon, director of the department’s Office of Governmental Affairs. Both agreed that two bills aimed at streamlining the funding process for local road agencies, and adopted with bipartisan support, were among the most significant. Senate Bill (SB) 0465 allows local road agencies to participate in a federal aid swap with the state to reduce overall repair costs. Another bill, SB 466, authorizes the use of state funds to replace the federal dollars directed to MDOT under SB 465. Michigan joins several other states employing the buyout strategy. Other significant legislation included SB 706, a national first in paving the way for dedicated automated vehicle lanes on state routes, also adopted with bipartisan support. Specifically, the legislation authorizes MDOT to designate automated vehicle roadways, enter into agreements with technology partners to operate them, and allows for a user fee to be assessed.  Two other bills discussed on the podcast failed to get a vote in the final session of the year: House Bill 5734, which calls for the department to expand the use of temporary barriers for worker protection in segments of roads under construction, and SB 1151, aimed at providing toll operators with a mechanism for collecting unpaid tolls. 

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Trevor Pawl, Michigan’s chief mobility officer, talks about recommendations in a report from the Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification. Among the highlights, or pillars, Pawl outlines:Transition and grow our mobility industry and workforce.Invest in bus rapid transit and spend $10 million to revive the state’s mobility challenges to solve employment and equity barriers.  Fund a public relations campaign to enhance Michigan’s sustainability leadership.  Scale the Michigan Electric Vehicle (EV) Jobs Academy.  Create a global center of excellence for responsible artificial intelligence.  Provide safer, greener and more accessible transportation infrastructureExpand Michigan’s Alternative Fuel Corridor opportunities for clean hydrogen and commission a study on hydrogen applications in commercial traffic.  Develop accessibility standards for EV chargers.  Create a state EV consumer incentive.  Fund a $45 million bus electrification program.  Expand use of sinking funds to support electric school bus deployments.  Support Phase Two of the MDOT work zone safety pilot program.  Design a clean fuels standard that works for Michigan.  Lead the world in mobility and electrification policy and innovationInvest $30 million in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology development. Pass legislation to preserve Michigan’s uniform, statewide automated vehicle policy.  Keep up the annual support for state mobility agencies’ capacity.  Pass legislation to create a mobility research and development talent tax credit.  Continue advocating to federal policymakers on important connected vehicle issues.  

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation, a conversation on two timely topics with long-time friend of the podcast, Lloyd Brown, of HDR. First, a reaction to recent news that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) advised the New Jersey Department of Transportation to discontinue the use of humorous messages on changeable message signs. Brown has done some research on the use of humor in communications and offers insights he’s gathered. As reported on NJ.com, FHWA officials said in an e-mail, “The Federal Highway Administration is aware of the changeable message signs and has reached out to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).”The story said the FHWA did not answer questions asking for more details, including why it asked NJDOT to discontinue use of the messages or how it has handled other states that use humor to get attention to safety issues.The answer to why the signs were disallowed might be in the 31-paragraph ruling about “Uses of, and Nonstandard Syntax on Changeable Message Signs” issued on Jan. 4, 2021, by the U.S. DOT and FHWA. In a second segment, Brown talks about what the rapid changes at Twitter and slashing of the work force by new owner Elon Musk could mean to DOTs that have used the platform as a vital and interactive tool to communicate in real time with travelers. As reported in the New York Times, spoof messages and parody accounts have proliferated in recent days, including some that impersonate state DOTs. This raises questions about whether government agencies will eventually abandon the platform in search of others with some degree of content monitoring and regulation.