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

Gov. Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oakland, and Wayne Counties Starting This 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 nine major road projects slated to begin this week in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oakland, and Wayne counties. 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, US-131 rebuilding in Mecosta County, M-91 Flat River bridge improvements in Montcalm County, I-96 Flex Route update in Oakland County and the next phase of work on I-275 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Wayne County. These investments are expected to support 7,838 jobs. 

“Across Michigan, we are fixing the damn roads to save drivers time and money. These investments in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oakland, and Wayne counties will support 7,838 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.

US-2 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Mackinac County project profile

County:	Oakland
Highway:	I-96
Closest Town:	Wixom
Start Date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
End Date:	Wednesday, July 11, 2022
Traffic Restrictions:	- Wixom Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction over I-96. - The southbound Wixom Road ramp to eastbound I-96 will be closed. The detour will be eastbound Grand River Avenue to northbound Beck Road to I-96. - The westbound I-96 ramp to southbound Wixom Road will be closed. The detour will be southbound Beck Road to westbound Grand River Avenue to Wixom Road. - The northbound Wixom Road ramp to westbound I-96 will be closed. The detour will be westbound Grand River Avenue to northbound Kent Lake Road to I-96.
Safety Benefit:	This work will improve the driving surface of the road and extend the life of the roadway.

I-96 Flex Route update in Oakland County project profile

Southbound I-275 ramps to eastbound and westbound I-94 will be closed 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.

County:	Wayne
Highway:	I-275 ramps to I-94
Closest Towns:	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.).

I-275 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Wayne County

County:	Berrien
Highway:	I-94
Closest Towns:	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 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.

County:	Cheboygan
Highway:	I-75
Closest Towns:	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
Highway:	US-31 and M-22
Closest Town:	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.

MDOT is investing $6.6 million to rebuild approximately 6.5 miles of US-131 from 13 Mile Road to just north of 19 Mile Road. Work includes resurfacing, drainage improvements and new guardrail. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support 84 jobs.

County:	Mecosta
Highway:	US-131
Closest Town:	Big Rapids
Start Date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated End Date:	Late-September 2022
Traffic Restrictions:	Lane closures and intermittent ramp closures will be in effect throughout the project.
Safety Benefit:	This work will provide a safer and smoother driving surface and extend the service life of the bridge.

MDOT is investing $740,000 to improve the M-91 bridge over the Flat River near the village of Langston, just north of Stanton Road. Work includes deck replacement, approach work, new guardrail, and substructure repair. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to support 9 jobs.

County:	Montcalm
Highway:	M-91
Closest Town:	Langston
Start Date:	Monday, July 11, 2022
Estimated End Date:	Late-September 2022
Traffic Restrictions:	M-91 will be closed and detoured using Stanton, Gravel Ridge, Coral, Satterlee, and Kendaville roads.
Safety Benefit:	This work will provide a safer and smoother driving surface and extend the service life of the bridge.

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.