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I hope you’re enjoying another beautiful Pure Michigan Fall! Before you log off for the weekend and head out to a cider mill or watch Big Ten football with friends, I want to drop you a note to celebrate a few recent wins and share important information.
I am working hard to make critical investments to address the issues that matter to Michiganders. We’re creating good-paying jobs by bringing major investments to Michigan, making college more affordable, reducing energy costs, and—you guessed it—fixing the damn roads.
I will continue to work with anyone willing to fight for Michiganders. Together, we can work toward a future where every Michigander can thrive.
 Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
Last week, I joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to announce the Michigan Strategic Fund approval of three transformational projects around the state. These projects include two electric vehicle battery investments that will serve increasing demand for battery production and a vital infrastructure improvement project in West Michigan.
We’re bringing home over $4.1 billion in investments to Michigan and creating more than 4,600 jobs in Big Rapids, Van Buren Township, and Ottawa and Muskegon counties through these projects. This is another historic move for our state this year as we continue to secure generational opportunities in our manufacturing and engineering workforce, grow a sustainable economy, and make critical infrastructure improvements to support the state’s robust agriculture industry.
This week, I also highlighted incredible growth in the trade, transportation, and utility sector, as well as the clean energy sector. While there is still plenty of work to do, I am so proud of our strong momentum as we work to ensure hardworking Michiganders have paths to land high-skill, good-paying jobs.
By working across the aisle on bipartisan economic development legislation, we’ve brought long-term opportunity to Michigan and created thousands of good-paying jobs for Michiganders. We have proven time and time again that we will compete for every dollar and every project to move Michigan forward.
You may remember my recent email about a bipartisan deal to make college more affordable. This week, I signed that bipartisan bill into law to establish the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and lower the cost of college for the vast majority of Michiganders. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship makes high school graduates, starting with the class of 2023, eligible for more financial aid from the state if their family demonstrates financial need when they complete the FAFSA. This scholarship will cover 94% of students attending community colleges, 76% of students attending a public university, and 79% of students attending a private college or university.
These scholarships will build on the success of the Michigan Reconnect program and save the vast majority of high school graduates thousands of dollars a year as they pursue higher education at community college, private college, or a public university.
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Michigan families need real relief as they face higher costs on everyday items and monthly bills. As winter approaches, my administration is working around the clock to put more money in your pockets and help you keep the heat on. To that end, I want to make sure you know about the Weatherization Assistance Program, which reduces household energy costs by an average of $283 per year. Getting your home weatherized will reduce energy costs, allowing you to spend more money on food, clothing, or other critical household needs.
Anyone interested in applying for the Weatherization Assistance Program can contact their local provider. Eligibility is based on household income and if the home’s current condition is weatherization ready. Income eligibility is up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $36,620 for a household of two or $55,500 for a household of four.
More information about home energy savings can be found by visiting the websites below that cover:
Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to save drivers time and money and ensure they can go to work, run errands, and explore our beautiful state safely. Here are some of the latest projects to be completed across the state:
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Reopening I-69: Last week, all lanes of I-69 were reopened in each direction between Fenton Road and M-54, a vital economic corridor that carries 82,000 vehicles every day. Thanks to the Rebuilding Michigan Plan’s $100 million investment supporting 1,270 jobs, we are fixing this stretch of I-69, including 18 bridges along the way, to be better than ever.
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Rebuilding US-2 in Gogebic County: Major work wrapped up on Friday on the two-year, $9.9 million project to rebuild 2.7 miles of US-2 from Powdermill Creek to east of Cedar Avenue through the city of Bessemer in the western Upper Peninsula’s Gogebic County. The work included reconfiguring lanes to add a center left-turn lane along with other safety improvements, storm sewer upgrades, and city sanitary sewer and water main replacements. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to have supported 126 jobs.
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Rebuilding Our Bridges project in Livingston County: The Iosco Road bridge over the west branch of the Red Cedar River Drain, built in 1948, was in serious condition prior to rebuilding, which started August 15. The bridge had its superstructure replaced and slightly widened, along with substructure repairs and approach work. The bridge was reopened to traffic on Monday, four days ahead of schedule.
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Rebuilding Our Bridges project in Luce County: The Dollarville Road (Luce County Road 405N) bridge over Teaspoon Creek, southwest of Newberry in Luce County, was built in 1951 and was in serious condition before rebuilding. The bridge had its deck and beams replaced, along with substructure patching. The bridge was reopened on last Thursday to traffic.
I am proud that 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 without raising taxes by a dime. Let’s keep rolling up our sleeves and getting things done.
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