RELEASE: Gov. Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, and Wayne Counties Starting Next Week

Gov. Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, and Wayne Counties Starting Next Week

In 2022, Gov. Whitmer is making the largest investment in state roads and bridges in Michigan’s history

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that major road projects are expected to begin in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, and Wayne counties next week. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) projects include the I-94 resurfacing project in Berrien County, preparation work for the I-75 repair and rebuilding project in Cheboygan County, the M-50 resurfacing and improvement project in Lenawee County, the US-2 Rebuilding Michigan project in Mackinac County, the US-31/M-22 roundabout project in Manistee County, and the next phase of work on I-275 Rebuilding Michigan project in Wayne County. These investments are expected to support 4,329 jobs. 

“Across Michigan, we are fixing the damn roads to save drivers time and money. These investments in in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, and Wayne counties will support 4,329 jobs, and help Michiganders go to work, run errands, and explore our beautiful state safely,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will have invested 70% more in our roads than the previous four years to fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. Both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan are helping us build safe, reliable infrastructure that makes a difference for families and small business across the state. I hope you all like orange because you’ll be seeing a lot of cones and barrels throughout summer. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, so let’s keep moving dirt and getting it done."

MDOT will invest $7.9 million to resurface about 10 miles of US-2 from the Cut River to Worth Road and from Wildwood lane to Brevort Lake Road. Work includes cold milling and asphalt resurfacing, joint repairs, guardrail replacements, and pavement markings. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support 100 jobs.

Funding for the 2.5-mile, $2 million segment of this project from Cut River to Worth Road is made possible by 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.

County:	Mackinac
Highway:	US-2
Closest town:	Brevort
Start date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated end date:	October 2022
Traffic restrictions:	Drivers should expect lane closures with alternating traffic maintained by traffic regulators.
Safety benefit:	This work will improve the driving surface of the road and extend the life of the roadway.

Southbound I-275 ramps to eastbound and westbound I-94 will be closed starting at 5 a.m. Monday, July 11, through early August. Crews need to rebuild the area where southbound I-275 is currently crossing the work zone to exit to I-94. Based on economic modeling, the Revive 275 project and its $270 million investment is expected to support 3,429 jobs. Project information can be found at Revive275.org.

Funding for this project is made possible by 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.

County:	Wayne
Highway:	I-275 ramps to I-94
Closest Cities:	Romulus, Plymouth, Canton
Start date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated end date:	August 2022
Traffic restrictions:	All traffic will be detoured further south on southbound I-275 to eastbound Eureka Road, then northbound I-275 to eastbound/westbound I-94. This closure and detour will cause heavier traffic at the Eureka Road entrance to Metro Airport, which may cause delays. Plan extra time or an alternate route.
Safety benefit:	In addition to rebuilding the three lanes and shoulders, crews will be improving the drainage in that area and surface coating the concrete of the southbound I-275 bridge to eastbound I-94 that was rebuilt last year, along with maintenance work on the westbound I-94 bridge over the exits (cleaning, painting, etc.).

MDOT will be investing $5.9 million to resurface 5.4 miles of I-94 between Kruger Road and Three Oaks Road. Work includes milling and asphalt resurfacing, shoulder corrugations, and new pavement markings. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support nearly 75 jobs.

County:	Berrien
Highway:	I-94
Closest city:	New Buffalo and Sawyer
Start date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated end date:	Friday, Oct. 21, 2022
Traffic restrictions:	Lane closures and traffic shifts.
Safety benefit:	This work will repair and preserve the pavement, extending the life of the roadway and providing a safer and smoother driving surface.

MDOT will begin preparation work for a two-year, $52 million investment in 2023 and 2024 to rebuild 9 miles of I-75 from Levering Road to US-31 in Cheboygan County. Work this season will include widening the paved shoulder of southbound I-75 and building three crossovers to help maintain traffic during the rebuilding portion of the project. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support 693 jobs

The southern half of the project is scheduled to be built in 2023 while the northern half is scheduled for 2024. The project includes removing the 1950s-era concrete roadway, which has been susceptible to joint deterioration, particularly during extreme summer temperatures.

County:	Cheboygan
Highway:	I-75
Closest town:	Mackinaw City and Topinabee
Start date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated end date:	November 2022
Traffic restrictions:	Drivers should expect lane closures and traffic shifts.
Safety benefit:	This work will improve the driving surface of the road and extend the life of the roadway.

County:	Lenawee
Highway:	M-50 (Monroe Road)
Closest town:	Tecumseh
Start date:	Thursday, July 14, 2022
Estimated end date:	Friday, Aug. 26, 2022
Traffic restrictions:	Daytime single-lane closures will be in effect throughout the project.
Safety benefit:	This project will improve the ride quality and extend the service life of the roadway.

MDOT and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians will invest $1.5 million to build a new roundabout at the US-31/M-22 intersection in Manistee Township, Manistee County. The Little River Band is contributing $883,000 toward the project. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support 19 jobs.

County:	Manistee
Highways:	US-31 and M-22
Closest city:	Manistee
Start date:	Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Estimated end date:	Monday, Oct. 31, 2022
Traffic restrictions:	During the first phase of work while a temporary lane is built, drivers should expect shoulder closures and traffic shifts. Beginning in mid-August, M-22 will be inaccessible from US-31 with traffic detoured to M-22 on Schoedel Road. US-31 through-traffic will be controlled with temporary signals.
Safety benefit:	This work will improve safety and traffic flow at this intersection. More information about roundabouts is available at www.Michigan.gov/Roundabout.

Since Governor Whitmer took office through the end of 2022, Michigan will have repaired, rebuilt, or replaced 16,000 lane miles of road and over 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. In April, Governor Whitmer signed the Building Michigan Together Plan, a bipartisan plan to invest nearly $5 billion in Michigan’s infrastructure, grow the economy, create jobs, and benefit families in every region of the state. The Building Michigan Together Plan calls for critical investments of $645 million in Michigan’s infrastructure, including $317 million for road and bridge programs, benefitting both state and local projects.