July 8, 2024 

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Governor Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects Starting This Week in Eight Counties  

LANSING, Mich. —  Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin road and bridge repair projects this week this week across eight counties, including improvements on eastbound I-69 ramp to M-15 in Genesee County, bridge deck repairs on I-96 in Ingham County, extending the US-23 flex route in Livingston County, repairs to M-53 in Macomb County, rebuilding I-75 Business Loop in Otsego County, US-131, M-60, and M-86 resurfacing in St. Joseph County, and M-55 resurfacing in Wexford and Missaukee counties, estimated to support 2,695 jobs.  

“Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to drive economic activity, help Michiganders go to work, drop their kids off at school, and run errands safely,” said Governor Whitmer. “Through the end of this construction season, we will have fixed, repaired, or replaced nearly 23,000 lane miles of state-owned roads and 1,600 bridges since I took office, supporting 89,000 jobs without raising taxes by a dime. Let’s roll up our sleeves and keep getting things done.” 

Improvements on Eastbound I-69 ramp to M-15 in Genesee County 

MDOT is investing approximately $481,000 to improve the eastbound I-69 ramp to M-15 in Genessee County to increase safety. Work will include concrete widening, joint repairs, curb and gutter, and traffic signal modernization. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support six jobs. 

Bridge Deck Repair on I-96 in Ingham County 

MDOT will close M-99 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) at I-96 in Ingham County overnight on Tuesday for bridge deck work to provide increased safety and mobility in the area. This work is part of a three-year, $44 million investment on I-96. Based on economic modeling, this $44 million investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 532 jobs. 

This project is part of Governor Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure. 

Extending US-23 Flex Route in Livingston County  

MDOT is investing $162 million to extend the US-23 Flex Route. As part of a traffic shift on US-23 under Grand River Avenue for the US-23 Flex Route project in the Livingston County, the following closures will occur beginning Thursday, July 11: The eastbound I-96 ramp to southbound US-23 will be closed, the northbound US-23 ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed intermittently, and the eastbound/westbound M-36 ramp to northbound US-23 will be closed to increase safety and mobility. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 1,839 jobs. 

This project is part of Governor Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure. 

Repairs to M-53 in Macomb County  

MDOT is investing $5.3 million to repair M-53 between 27 Mile and 34 Mile roads. Scheduled to begin July 9, northbound M-53 (Van Dyke Freeway) will be closed from 33 Mile to 35 Mile roads for ongoing repair in order to improve the safety and mobility of this area. During this stage of construction, 34 Mile Road will also be closed at M-53. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 64 jobs. 

Rebuilding I-75 Business Loop project in Otsego County  

MDOT is investing $13.3 million to rebuild 2.2 miles of the I-75 Business Loop (BL) (South Otsego Avenue) between southbound I-75 Exit 279 and Wisconsin Avenue/Grandview Boulevard in Otsego County, traffic patterns will change at the McCoy Road intersection. The project includes rebuilding the asphalt roadway, a new roundabout at McCoy Road, nonmotorized pathways, and streetscape improvements. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 188 jobs. 

US-131, M-60, and M-86 resurfacing in St. Joseph County  

MDOT will start resurfacing more than 19 miles of three highways on Tuesday: US-131 from Dickinson Road in Constantine to Garber Road in White Pigeon, M-60 from Hoffman Road in Three Rivers to Plainfield Drive in Mendon, and M-86 from South Main Street in Three Rivers to West Main Street in Centreville to improve the safety and road quality of the road. This $2.5 million investment includes chip seal, fog seal and micro-surfacing. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 30 jobs. 

M-55 resurfacing in Wexford and Missaukee Counties 

MDOT will invest $3 million to resurface 8.1 miles of M-55 from the Cadillac city limit in Wexford County to M-66 in Missaukee County to reduce the risk of accidents and enhance overall driver awareness. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 36 jobs. 

Rebuilding Michigan’s Roads and Bridges 

By the end of this construction season, Michigan will have fixed nearly 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges. Governor Whitmer is focused on rebuilding our roads and bridges with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, supporting 89,000 good-paying construction jobs along the way. 

These and future repairs are made possible by the Rebuilding Michigan plan, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges, and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, the largest one-time investment in Michigan's infrastructure in state history. These strategic investments in Michigan's infrastructure ensure that future Michiganders will have safer roads and bridges to run errands, travel, and strengthen the economy. 

Learn more about the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s historic infrastructure investments by clicking on the following link: Infrastructure Accomplishments. 

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