FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

September 2, 2025 

Contact: [email protected] 

Governor Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects Starting This Week in Alpena, Montmorency, Mason, Oceana, and Grand Traverse Counties 

LANSING, Mich.—Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin a road repair project this week in multiple counties, including Alpena, Montmorency, Mason, Oceana, and Grand Traverse. These projects are expected to directly or indirectly support over 356 good-paying jobs. The governor reiterated the need to pass a long-term road funding solution that will fix the damn roads and support good-paying jobs in communities across Michigan. 

“Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to grow our economy, lower the cost of auto repairs, improve motorist safety, and create good-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree,” said Governor Whitmer. “By the end of this construction season, we will have fixed, repaired, or replaced nearly 24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges. But our work is not done, and thousands of good-paying jobs are at stake if we don’t get a long-term road funding solution for Michigan. Let’s build on our momentum and pass a bipartisan, long-term local road funding plan so we can keep fixing the damn roads and building a bright future for Michigan.” 

M-32 Repaving in Alpena and Montmorency Counties 

MDOT is investing $3.3 million to repave 12.6 miles of M-32 from Haas Road in Montmorency County to east of the Alpena County line. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 31 jobs. 

US-10 Resurfacing in Mason County 

MDOT is investing approximately $871,000 to resurface 1.2 miles of US-10 from Main Street (US-31 east junction) to just east of Bean Road. The project also includes sidewalk ramp upgrades to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Crews are getting an early start with a full closure currently in place for a City of Scottville watermain repair on US-10 and Main Street. The current traffic restrictions are scheduled to be removed by 3 p.m. this Friday. The City of Scottville will resume watermain repairs after the holiday weekend. MDOT will continue to coordinate the resurfacing work with the city's local project. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support eight jobs. 

US-31 Resurfacing in Oceana County 

MDOT is investing approximately $733,000 to resurface 2.3 miles of Old US-31 (Oceana Drive) from M-20 to the southern village limit of Shelby. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support seven jobs. 

US-31 Rebuilding in Grand Traverse County 

MDOT will begin work rebuilding a portion of US-31 near Interlochen, requiring a detour on local roads. Work this fall is focused on removing unsuitable soil and peat near the Cedar Hedge Creek and Tonawanda Creek bridges. 

This work is part of an overall $32.5 million project to rebuild a 7.8-mile section of US-31 from Sullivan Road in Green Lake Township, Grand Traverse County, to Reynolds Road in Inland Township, Benzie County, in 2025 and 2026. The proposed work will include roadway rebuilding and widening to improve pavement condition and provide safety improvements with the addition of center left-turn lanes, widened paved shoulders and rumble strips. The South Long Lake Road/J. Maddy Parkway intersection will be rebuilt as a roundabout. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 310 jobs. 

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