|
|
| |
 |
BY ANTHONY RIZZO
A local engineering company was awarded a 1.7 million dollar contract by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers for dredging in Saginaw.
Officials say on average, 3.7 million tons of material are shipped or received out of Saginaw Harbor on an annual basis.
Mollie Mahoney is the operations project manager for the Detroit District Army Corps of Engineers.
She said without any dredging, the number of shipments and the weight each could carry would be lower than the
"It cost shippers and the construction industry more money to acquire the materials they need, the materials being shipped and received in and out of Saginaw. Because the Great Lakes Navigation System operates as a system, when we are unable to meet our stakeholder's needs in Saginaw, they are able to ship less efficiently and it affects our stakeholders in Duluth, and effects our stakeholders in Marquette, and our stakeholders in Cleveland." Mahoney said.
The focus of the project is the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay.
The dredging project will begin this month.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
Michiganders who drive electric or alternative fuel vehicles would have to pay a new fee under a plan in the state House. At least one lawmaker said those drivers are not paying their fair share for road maintenance and construction.
People who drive hybrids or cars that run on alternative fuels don't pay as much in fuel taxes, which are used to pay for roads. Republican state Representative Mike Shirkey said charging those drivers a fee would make the state less dependent on declining fossil fuel sales to maintain its infrastructure.
"That doesn't mean it's going to go away in the next two days, two years, or twenty years, but it will go away. This just provides us an opportunity to have that conversation."
Governor Rick Snyder said he wants to encourage people to drive more fuel efficient vehicles, and is not convinced a fee on electric cars is a good idea.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network A controversial project to find ways to reduce the costs of public schools will continue, but it will be carried out in public and under the direction of the state's superintendent of schools.
The so-called "skunk works" group met in secret and included members of Governor Snyder's administration. It was reportedly trying to develop a string of low-cost charter schools funded by a voucher-like system. It caused a furor in teachers unions and education groups when its existence was revealed by The Detroit News. Now the governor has asked state superintendent Mike Flanagan to take over the project, an to focus on using technology to make schools less costly and more efficient.
"How can we continue that process to say, are there new, better ways to do that? I think that's always a worthwhile topic." Mike Flanagan tells the Gongwer News Service his group will work in the open, and anything like school vouchers won't be part its mission.
BY ANTHONY RIZZO
Ferris State University has received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for a unique partnership.
The grant totals more than $110,000 to develop and deliver a comprehensive fleet management training program for the NCDOT.
Officials say there will be three separate weeks of training covering several topics, including fleet management.
After completion of the training, certification will be presented through the Association of Equipment Management Professionals.
Spence Tower is an associate professor in the department of management at FSU.
"The goal of this grant is to put many of their fleet superintendents through this training with the end result being great efficiencies and effectiveness of using the variety of equipment they have at North Carolina." Tower said.
Tower said the AEMP has a certification test, which covers 15 or 16 varied topic areas and the area of fleet management.
Participants from North Carolina who complete the program will be eligible to take the certification exam.
The startup for the training sessions is scheduled for this week.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
A presidential permit will allow the state of Michigan to wrap up a deal with Canada to build a new international bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor-Ontario.
The new bridge could be operating by the end of the decade.
Governor Rick Snyder wants the new international bridge to help make Michigan the centerpoint of a North American trade region. He said the bridge will allow for more people and goods to move through what is already the continent's busiest border crossing. The new bridge would also compete with the existing Ambassador Bridge and the owners are still in court trying to stop the project. The governor said he's not overly concerned.
"We've got a good track record of seeing success, and there's tremendous support for this project, and strong legal grounds." Snyder said.
Snyder said now the state can start acquiring land and making engineering plans with an eye toward finishing the new bridge by 2020.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
Governor Rick Snyder is expected to announce Friday afternoon that the federal government has approved a deal to build a new international bridge between Detroit and Windsor-Ontario. Presidential approval was one of the final obstacles to the project.
The presidential permit is required to allow the state of Michigan to make an agreement with a foreign country. Governor Snyder signed the deal with Canada last year after failing to win approval in the Michigan Legislature. Canada's agreed to pick up Michigan's share of more than a billion dollars in construction costs, and then recoup its money from tolls collected at the border crossing. There are still lawsuits pending, including one filed by the owners of the competing Ambassador Bridge, which claims the project violates state and federal laws.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
Governor Rick Snyder said he hopes to reach a bipartisan deal soon with the Legislature that would generate more than a billion dollars to pay for fixing roads. He said time is growing short.
Governor Snyder said there's wide agreement that roads need to be fixed. Republicans control the House and Senate, but have not reached a consensus on how to raise the needed money. The governor said he's asking Democrats as well as Republicans to put their ideas on the table in hopes of forging a deal.
"I'd really like to get it done as part of the budget process, so you're looking at the end of May, June time frame in terms of having some answers. So we really need to make some progress fairly soon." Snyder said.
Snyder said the right solution will save drivers money over the long term, and give a boost to the economy.
Democrats say they'll be watching for proof the governor's committed to a bipartisan solution.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
The state's new "Pure Michigan" license plate for cars, trucks, and motorcycles is now available. Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said the new plate can be bought now as a replacement plate. It can purchased at any branch office for a five-dollar fee.
"The plate is rust-resistant, tamper-proof, and easily identifiable, and made in Michigan at one of our prisons." Johnson said.
The new plate features the "Pure Michigan" logo across the top. It will eventually replace the current blue-and-white version as the standard vehicle plate.
BY AMANDA HARRISON
Spring may have officially arrived last week, but for residents on Mackinac Island, spring really begins when ferry service resumes.
That finally happened Tuesday
It took an hour and a half for the first ferry of 2013 to make the trip to Mackinac Island, and apparently it arrived just in time.
Bob Brown is the general manager of the Arnold Transit Company. He said the island was running low on gas.
"They were getting a little nervous but they found that there was some here on the island that the state had and they were able to do some trading and I don't think there's any emergency left now. And of course we can haul some over on a limited basis until we get our freight boat going." Brown said. Ferries are the main link to Mackinac Island for most of the year, but during the winter months, that link is cut off, leaving only a small airport for residents to get back and forth from the mainland.
The Coast Guard, Brown said, broke up most of the ice between St. Ignace and the island, but some still remains.
He said last year, ferries were able to begin service in February.
BY JESI MUNGUIA
The Michigan Department of Transportation has invested in a new "tow plow."
It is cheaper than regular snow plows, it removes more snow and has a longer service life.
The new tow plow is currently being tested in Mackinac County in the Upper Peninsula after tests done in Kalamazoo and Lansing.
James Lake is a communications representative for MDOT. He said a regular snow plow can only clear one lane at a time. The new tow plow can clear a lane and the shoulder at the same time.
"We're trying to be more efficient and save money. These tow plows cost less than a regular plow truck and they have a longer expected service life. We can plow twice as much snow with one operator. That allows us to put more transportation funding back into the roads and bridges." Lake said.
Lake said MDOT will be training all operators in the UP in case it is decided to purchase a fleet of the newer design.
In Mackinac County, the tow plow will be tested along I-75 and U.S. 2.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
Michigan business leaders say they're afraid state lawmakers may miss their best chance to raise the money needed to repair roads.
Governor Rick Snyder has had a tough time selling his plan to increase road spending to the Legislature. It would raise the state's gas tax and vehicle registration fees to boost road funding by more than a billion dollars a year. Jim Holcomb is with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. He said state officials have to come to an agreement, and fast.
"Our biggest concern at the Michigan Chamber is no action at all. This is such a crucial problem, we're in a crisis in Michigan, and we really need the Legislature and the governor to act now." Holcomb said.
The coalition said the cost of fixing the state's infrastructure gets more expensive every year. Some legislative leaders don't support raising taxes and fees. But they say they're open to finding other ways to boost road funding.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
The state's top budget official said Governor Rick Snyder is not backing down from adding at least 1.2 billion dollars to maintain Michigan's roads. Budget Director John Nixon appeared Friday on Michigan Public Television's "Off the Record." He said the state's infrastructure will continue to crumble if lawmakers approve anything less than that amount. But Nixon stopped short of saying the number is not negotiable.
"Are the roads negotiable? I drove over here today and was dodging potholes the whole way. I think it just depends on what the people want, as far as the roads are concerned. It's clear, though, when you look at the models, that an investment of 1.2 billion a year is what's needed to maintain the roads at where they are today."
Governor Snyder's proposal would boost the state's fuel tax and vehicle registration fees to get to that number.
Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said he doesn't support that plan. But he said he's open to finding other ways to raise the money.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
People trading in cars, trucks, or boats could soon get a new tax break under legislation that passed the state Senate Wednesday. Some are worried about what it could mean for state school funding.
When you trade in a vehicle or watercraft in Michigan today, you pay sales tax on the total purchase value of the thing you're buying. Under this measure, the trade-in value of your old car, truck, or boat would not count toward the sales tax. The legislation got overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate. But some lawmakers say it would leave a big hole in the state's budget. Bill sponsor Senator Dave Robertson said the tax cuts would be phased in, giving lawmakers enough time to find a way to address those issues. "I think every attempt has been made to try and be accommodating to the concerns about the budget, but I think that we need a tax cut for Michigan's citizens." Robertson said.
According to the non-partisan Senate Fiscal Agency, the state would eventually lose more than 200 million dollars a year in revenue. Most of that would come out of funding for schools. The measure now goes to the state House.
Last month, Governor Rick Snyder used his State of the State Address to call for an increase in road funding, to repair the state's crumbling highways and byways.
Work has now begun on ways to raise revenue for Michigan's roads.
State Senator Roger Kahn is taking a lead on the roads issue. He says they simply must be fixed.
"We all know something needs to be done here with roads. It's embarrassing, when you hear tourists say 'yeah we know when we're in Michigan, we see all the bad roads.'" Kahn said.
Some options being explored include an increase in vehicle registration fees, and the statewide tax on gasoline.
Kahn said he would like to take action in the first half of this year.
"Because the longer we delay doing anything, the more it will cost the people of Michigan not only in terms of dollars to fix the roads, but there are significant auto accidents out there with deaths." He said.
Several bills have already been introduced.
Kahn said the next step is to schedule joint hearings between the house and senate, where hopefully, final legislation will emerge.
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
Governor Rick Snyder made his pitch for higher taxes and fees to pay for roads in his third State of the State address. He said Michigan needs at least a billion additional dollars in the coming year to pay for badly needed repairs to the state's ailing infrastructure. He may also need a plan to repair his strained relationships with Democrats to get what he wants.
The demonstrators didn't come close to the numbers who packed the lawn and halls of the Capitol in December as the Legislature debated and passed a right-to-work law. But there was a heightened level of security as a couple hundred or so demonstrators showed up to let Governor Rick Snyder and Republicans in Lansing know all is not forgotten nor forgiven. "I don't know if we're going to have any impact, but, by god, we have to at least let make him know. Snyder said.
Mike Emerson is a retired GM welder from Flint. People here were unhappy about right-to-work, budget cuts, schools, and environmental issues like gas drilling.
"And that's what we're here for, to let him know we're displeased. It's not going to be easy for him in 2014, believe me." Emerson said.
At the halfway point in his term, Governor Snyder said he's looking ahead and hopes to set aside the bitterness of the past two years.
"I appreciate that people had different perspectives on issues and what I'm saying is, I'm hoping we can find common ground where we can work together and I hope all of you join me in doing the same thing." Snyder said.
That line brought Republicans to their feet. Democrats stayed in their seats. A few politely clapped. Snyder's 2013 agenda is largely items leftover from 2012. An overhaul of Blue Cross-Blue Shield, changing Michigan's no-fault insurance law which allows for unlimited medical benefits, and perhaps the toughest sell.
"It's time to do something folks. We need to invest more in our roads..." He said.
As well as bridges, rail, harbors, and other transportation projects. The governor suggested changing the gas tax to one that charges a percentage of sales instead of a certain number of cents per gallon. Also higher vehicle registration fees. The idea is to come up with a new, stable source of revenue as people drive fewer miles in more-fuel-efficient vehicles. But Snyder said it's an economic imperative, Michigan's roads are getting worse, and it's one that will save lives.
"If we do this, we've done some work to say that we would save nearly a hundred lives a year. A hundred lives each year. There's no price you can put on that." He said
Higher fuel taxes, higher fees - Republicans wouldn't support that in the Legislature's last session. The new House Democratic leader, Tim Greimel, said the governor shouldn't necessarily look to Democrats to make up the difference.
"Forgive us if we're a little leery of the governor's rhetoric today when his actions have been very different. It's the equivalent of beating somebody up and then turning around the next day and acting like you want to be best buddies with them." Greimel said. Governor Snyder also called for better workforce training, more early childhood education, helping veterans, improving mental health services, and both protecting the Great Lakes and using them for their economic benefits. The governor also identified two industries, developing driverless cars, and insurance and financial services as promising sectors. "We're here to serve 10 million people that are counting on us, so let's get the job done..." Earlier in the day, the governor got the news that Michigan's unemployment rate was unchanged in December and remains at eight-point-nine percent. That's an improvement from the 10 percent unemployment rate when he took office in 20-11, but still well above the national rate, and a slower pace of recovery than a lot of people would like.
BY ANTHONY RIZZO
Volunteers in northwest Michigan have partnered up with the City of Traverse City to clear out the snow this winter along the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trail.
This will be TART Trail's and the city's second year in a row working together.
Officials say in order for the volunteers to clear the trail, there must be an accumulation of three or more inches of snow.
With the trail staying clear through the winter, those who use it on a regular basis will not be affected by wintery weather.
Arianne Whittaker is the Marketing and Outreach Director for TART Trails.
"I think it improves the usability of the trails during the winter time so that it can help people commute to and from work and school by bike, or increase opportunities for people to get out to walk or run in the winter time." Whittaker said.
Whittaker said the clearing of the snow will increase safe accessibility to the trail during the winter time.
Those interested in volunteering can call TART Trails or visit online at traversetrails.org.
BY AMANDA HARRISON
Commuters over the Mackinac Bridge will see a toll increase starting this month.
Bob Sweeney is the executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority.
He said tolls have been increasing by a dime, each year, since 2008.
The increase will cover the cost of maintenance projects.
"We have the approach spans which are everything accept the very center of the bridge. The very center of the bridge is basically from your anchor pier to anchor pier is a suspension bridge. So each section of the bridge on either side of that is called the approach spans. That we're going to break into about 3 or 4 different projects starting in 2014." Sweeney said.
The cost is expected to be near 80 million dollars. Sweeney expects that full amount to be paid through tolls.
U.S. 127 will close intermittently Tuesday between Alma and Shepherd, so high-voltage power lines can be strung across the freeway.
The high-voltage lines will connect a large wind farm in Gratiot County with the rest of the electrical grid.
the closures are scheduled between 9am and 3pm, and should last about 15 minutes or less. Law enforcement is expected to be on the scene to assist with the closures.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network The state Legislature is a step closer to creating a regional transit authority for southeast Michigan. The state Senate passed the measure Tuesday. A unified public transit authority for Detroit and surrounding counties could lead to millions of federal dollars for projects. Republican state Senator Tom Casperson sponsored the legislation. He's from the Upper Peninsula. But he said better transit in southeast Michigan would boost the entire state's economy. "There's a lot of history behind this thing, and I think it's monumental if we get this done. And I'm just excited that I'm a part of it." The legislation passed the Senate by ten votes, with most "no" votes coming from Republicans. Some opponents of the measure are worried about how the authority would be funded and governed. Others worry that it would have too much power. The legislation now goes to the state House.
BY CONSUELO MCABOY
With a need for more green energy in Ontario, students of the Community, Economic and Social Development program at Algoma University conducted a forum to encourage cycling in Sault Ste. Marie.
The forum is a part of a student initiative.
The group aims at reducing dependence on cars and promoting cycling throughout the city.
Allyson Schmidt is a part of the initiative. She said cycling is important to the community.
"People really do want to embrace cycling and have the opportunity to be able to do it safely as a way to get to and from work, to and from school, and a way to build it more into the culture of the city." Said Schmidt.
Schmidt said some of the ideas from the forum included putting lines on pathways for bicyclists and having better signage on trails.
She said all of the suggestions and concerns will be included on a preliminary report that will be submitted to the city council.
Our series looking at the Michigan ballot proposals continues this morning with an examination of Proposal 6.
It's one that voters have been hearing about for months and months. Over 30-million dollars has been spent in an effort to get it passed.
Supporters and opponents are so far apart on the issue, that it's hard to separate fact from fiction...
If you've turned on a television this fall, chances are you've heard something like this...
"The bridge to Canada, we'll have to borrow $550 million to build it, with hidden costs up to $8 billion..."
That's an advertisement encouraging people to vote yes on Proposal 6.
Supporters say the proposal doesn't block construction of a new bridge to Canada, but rather gives voters the right to decide if a new bridge should be built.
Mickey Blashfield is director of the ballot committee behind Proposal 6.
"The People Should Decide ballot question is really about a decision making structure. It's not a yes or no on anything substantive in the constitution. It is about yes or no on the decision making structure of how we should approach international bridges that are going to cost us billions and billions of dollars."
Opponents of Proposal 6 strongly disagree, on several points. They say a yes vote on the proposal is effectively a vote against any new international border crossing, and that Proposal 6 was written to protect the interests of a Detroit billionaire.
Roy Norton is Canada's Consul General for Michigan and parts of the midwest. His government wants to build, and pay for a new bridge from Windsor to Detroit, something the owner of Detroit's Ambassador Bridge is opposed to.
"Well clearly the fact that we're going to pay for the bridge is reflective of the importance we attach to getting it done, and Proposal 6 seeks to stop this from proceeding. We think that would be calamitous to the economy, not just to southwestern Ontario, but to the entire industrial heartland of North America."
Norton said there are many reasons to build a new bridge: job creation, economic security, reduced border congestion; the current bridge is the Detroit area's only major international truck crossing.
And he said if something were to happen to that bridge, it's currently 83 years old, it would be devastating to the economies of both Michigan and Ontario.
"Let's just look at the automotive companies as a case study. Within 24 hours of the Ambassador Bridge closing, automotive plants would close down on both sides of the border. There would be massive layoffs. And parts suppliers would similarly close down within a short period of time."
Norton said a new bridge would alleviate traffic congestion on both sides of the border.
But is there enough traffic to justify a new bridge? Mickey Blashfield said no...
"The traffic is down more than 40 percent. If we do need a crossing for efficiency and those sort of things down the road, its not for more than a decade away. And before we get involved with such a project, we should have the opportunity to say yes or no on that."
On top of the traffic issue, Blashfield says Michigan simply cannot afford a new bridge...
"The agreement said that Canada will front Michigan the money, the $550 million loan for infrastructure on our side. But we have to pay that back."
That claim has been made countless times on Michigan airwaves over the last few months.
Roy Norton said it's more fiction than fact....
"We made this offer, it's an extraordinary offer for us, to assume all costs and all liability. And now we're finding that the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, who have a monopoly that they obviously find very profitable and don't want to surrender, are doing everything they possibly can, including spending $31.3 million over the last few months, in support of this Proposal 6."
Norton said the money Canada fronts for Michigan's share of the bridge costs will be repaid through bridge tolls, at zero cost to Michigan taxpayers. And he said ads claiming otherwise have not been truthful...
"Oh I would say it's been absolutely untruthful. I'll go beyond that and say there is nothing in those advertisements that should be believed. There are no truths to be found in that advertising."
Mickey Blashfield said it's the Canadians who are not being truthful...
"There's no such thing as a free bridge. There's never been any free infrastructure, except once that I can recall. And that was during the Trojan Wars, and it was in the shape of a horse."
He also questions the motives of Norton and other Canadian officials...
"I don't know that we've ever seen anything like it where Canadians are actively advocating but never filing any campaign statements or exactly how much they're spending. But they've not been shy about trying to influence Michigan elections. I think that's unprecedented in our state's history."
Norton denies that Canada is interfering in the election. He said they're simply trying to do what is best for both countries...
"We're not just a foreign government. We are your best customer. Your best friend. Your closest ally. We're in this together. We're going to grow together, or not. We're going to create jobs together, or not. We think that this is a good investment; we're prepared to make it. We want to partner with you. We'll take the responsibility on the cost front, but obviously, we need Michigan to work with us in order to get this done."
Voters decide tomorrow whether we should have a statewide vote before new international bridges are built.
Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 154,000 Fiesta subcompacts because of airbag problems.
The recall affects Ford Fiestas from the 2011 through 2013 model years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the passenger side curtain airbag may not properly deploy during a side collision, when the front passenger seat is unoccupied. The problem could keep a rear seat passenger from receiving proper airbag coverage during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford dealers will reprogram the vehicles software so that right side curtain airbags inflate during a side impact crash, even when there is no front passenger. The repairs will be made at no cost to consumers. Affected owners will be notified by mail.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
If passed, a ballot proposal meant to stall a new international bridge in Detroit could cost Michigan taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. That's according to a report from the Senate Fiscal Agency.
Proposal Six would require a public vote on any new international bridge or tunnel. The report said it would cost the state nearly ten and a half million dollars to hold a special election on a new crossing. On top of that, researchers say tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure funding could also be in jeopardy. The Citizens Research Council of Michigan said the initiative could potentially apply to any new bridge or tunnel around the state, not just international crossings.
The report said that interpretation could threaten funding for many projects, including more than 80 million dollars this fiscal year. Proposal Six is bankrolled by the owner of Detroit's Ambassador Bridge. It's a response to a plan to build a new crossing two miles south, which would be funded by the Canadian government.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
Early data suggest the state may not be causing a big jump in the number of biker deaths since the Legislature repealed a law requiring them to wear helmets. The group American Bikers Aiming Toward Education, or ABATE, released those numbers this week.
State officials say it's too early to come to any conclusions.
"The state Office of Highway Safety Planning said it's impossible to know exactly what's happened in the six months since the helmet requirement ended. Officials say the available data does not present a complete picture." Anne Readett is with the OHSP.
"It is provisional, and it's going to chance. And it really doesn't provide an accurate picture of what's happening currently."
Readett said the preliminary numbers do show a 14-percent rise in disabling injuries this year. She said safety experts will have a better understanding of the trends when they analyze the data for all of 2012. That should be ready in a few months.
BY JAKE NEHER Michigan Public Radio Network
Supporters of a plan to create a regional transit authority in southeast Michigan say they're confident lawmakers can make that happen soon.
A state House committee heard from many supporters of the plan during a hearing.
County, city, and business leaders from southeast Michigan told the House Transportation Committee a transit plan for the region is long overdue. They say it would attract young talent and jobs to the metropolitan area. State officials have tried many times to pass similar plans, with no success. But regional transit system director John Hertel said this time could be different.
"This is the first time there is support across the board from the city and the suburbs."
Hertel's still skeptical about the bill's prospects in the Legislature. And although many southeast officials agree a transit authority should be created, they're still wrangling over details about how to pull it off.
Last Tuesday, officials from the Federal Transit Agency, FTA, and the Michigan Department of Transportation held an open house on Woodward Avenue in Detroit.
They want public opinion about the latest plan for new mass transit.
BY JESI MUNGUIA
With back to school time here, parents are shopping for school supplies, teachers are setting up classrooms, and the ICTC is on the lookout for Ride Buddies.
The Ride Buddies program in Isabella county, allows volunteer adults to help supervise young children who ride the public transit buses, usually to pre-school.
Ginny Cain is the Gold Key Volunteer Program Director for Isabella County Commission on Aging.
"We're very fortunate in this county to have door to door transportation service from the ICTC I Ride busses. Along with that children as young as 3 years-old are riding busses along to daycare or preschool. Ride buddies are available on weekdays during peak hours 7 to 10 am or 2 to 5 pm and our program runs from September thru June."
Cain said the Ride Buddies program offers a familiar face to the children and another set of eyes to the driver.
Cain said the Ride Buddies program was started in 2008. She said ridership has grown every year.
  BY AMY ROBINSON Michigan's license plates are getting a new look. The new designs were unveiled Wednesday on the top of the south tower of the Mackinac Bridge. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said she chose the bridge for the unveiling, because it's a familiar and cherished landmark for the state. The new license plate designs incorporate the "Pure Michigan" logo, and Johnson said she hopes they help support tourism in the state. She said it's been five years since the last design was released and it was time for a new look. "Well it's been quite some time and we've noticed when we're out on the road that some of them are becoming so deteriorated that you really can't see the numbers on it. And we use up all the stock we have, we won't trade over to a new plate until all the stock's gone." Johnson said the current stock should be used up by January and that's when the new designs go on sale.
BY AMY ROBINSON
The public is invited to offer input on a road improvement project planned for Petoskey.
The State Transportation Department is planning improvement work along the US-31 corridor in Petoskey. The project will include adding median islands, intersection realignments, and signal and bridge work.
Bob Felt with MDOT said the state is hosting a public meeting on the project later this month.
"At this point, we would hope to be able to do some of this work next fall. That's one of the things we're going to share at the meeting. And we would invite anybody out that's either living in the area or works in the area that would like to know more about the plans."
The meeting on the work is planned for Monday, August 27 at 6pm at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey.
BY KAITLYN CAMILLERI
The Michigan Department of Transportation invites residents to give input on revision of the long-range transportation plan.
MDOT is hosting public meetings around the state, the first meeting was today in Alpena. The agency is revising the long-range transportation plan, known as Moving Michigan Forward, through the year 2035.
The plan will incorporate changes from the previous 2030 plan as well as the suggestions from residents.
Jeff Cranson is the Director of Communications with MDOT.
"Whether you are a resident, or a small business owner, or a big business owner, or you travel, we want to know what you think your needs are going to be and what you'd like to see in your community, your neighborhood, and your broader area of the state."
Each meeting will run from five p.m. to seven p.m. with formal presentations afterwards.
Meetings around the state include Gaylord, Saginaw, and Traverse City.
 The longest freighter on the Great Lakes is grounded in the St. Mary's River, the waterway connecting Lakes Superior and Huron.
Coast Guard investigators are now trying to assess the damage.
The Paul R. Tregurtha grounded early this morning south of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, in a rocky area known to be particularly dangerous to mariners.
Lt. Rob Scott is with the U.S. Coast Guard...
"There was some damage to the vessel in way of the Bow. We don't know the exact amount of damage, the divers are en route now. But there was some water intrusion as a result of that initial grounding on the bow of the vessel."
Scott said pumps onboard the Tregurtha are keeping up with the leaks, and they don't believe pollution is an issue.
"Our Coast Guard personnel on scene have observed no pollution, and the portions that have been damaged on the vessel appear to just be what is known as voids, a space between the actual hull of the vessel and the cargo."
The Tregurtha is blocking all southbound traffic through the St. Mary's River, tying up one of the nation's busiest shipping lanes.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Michelle Hill
BY RICK PLUTA Michigan Public Radio Network
Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley said a ballot question to require a public vote on a new international bridge won't stop the project. The ballot question is backed by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, which would compete with a new span in Detroit.
Governor Rick Snyder signed a deal in June with Canadian officials to build the bridge. Canada would pick up the billion dollar cost and recoup the money from tolls. The ballot campaign said that's too rosy a scenario and wants to require public votes for international bridges and tunnels. The Ambassador Bridge owners are funding the ballot campaign, which includes a multi-million dollar ad buy.
Lieutenant Governor Calley said the ballot question can't stop the bridge. But he said it could slow down the project.
"We would expect that the owners of the Ambassador Bridge will use that as the basis for more lawsuits and more delay tactics. These guys are really good at suing, really bad at winning."
Calley said the amendment could stop or delay future infrastructure projects on the border. There are two other international bridges in Michigan and a privately owned rail tunnel.
By Jesi Munguia
If you're planning a trip in Michigan, you may want to check out the new 2012 transportation map to help during your trip.
The Michigan Department of Transportation said the latest edition of the map features a variety of QR codes linking travelers to sites that will assist them during their trip.
The QR codes link visitors to social media sites, MI Drive for traffic information and to the State Police.
Jeff Cranson is the Director of Communications for MDOT.
"This year's map focuses a lot on the communities they yeah know make Michigan what it is both large and small and that's why we have some neat images of different communities around the state and you see those across the top of the map. And we really wanted to make a point to travelers there are these places in both peninsulas that are worth getting off the highway to see."
Cranson said with the new features on the map it will bring in more tourism and offer travelers new activity options on their vacation.
By Amy Robinson
The city of Alpena is taking on a new focus and a new nick-name this month.
The mayor has issued a proclamation dubbing Alpena "Bike Town Michigan' for the month of June.
Terri Riopelle is with the League of Michigan Bicyclists. She said the trails in Alpena, and this new focus on biking, are a benefit to businesses and the town.
"I think it helps the community because everyone's out and about. You see people on the trails all the time, or their bicycling or walking, improving our fitness, improving our social lives."
In June, Alpena is hosting a number of bike-related events, including: a three-day tour beginning June 15, a Run-Bike-Kayak-Run event and an old-fashioned, Seersucker Ride through the downtown June 16, and a grand opening for the new North Eastern State Trail, or NEST June 23rd.
Rick Pluta A published report said Governor Rick Snyder is ready to bypass a reluctant Legislature and move ahead with a new international border crossing in Detroit. Crain's Detroit Business said the governor will turn to the Michigan Strategic Fund to make the necessary agreements with Detroit and the U.S. and Canadian governments. The Strategic Fund is a public-private economic development agency. The move would allow the governor to sidestep legislative approval. The governor has been looking for a work around because he's been un-able to get his fellow Republicans to go along with his proposed bridge across the Detroit River. He said getting rid of a bottleneck at a busy international crossing would make metro Detroit and the rest of the state a magnet for many types of economic activity. The governor's plan has gotten a lot of push-back from the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, which would compete with the new span. They said a new bridge is not needed and the government should not be competing with a private enterprise. Copyright 2012, MPRN
By Rick Pluta
The future of mass transit in Detroit will be the topic of a meeting later Monday that brings US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Michigan. City, state, and federal officials are hoping to get some financial support for a light rail project down Detroit's main thoroughfare.
Governor Rick Snyder plans to be at the meeting. The governor said he's anxious to hear what LaHood has to say about the project, called M-1. The rail project would eventually connect to suburban transit systems, just like transportation networks in cities such as Boston and Chicago. The governor said that would better serve the people already living in the city, and make Detroit an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and young people starting careers.
"How Detroit does, and the comeback of Detroit is important for the comeback of Michigan."
The success of the city's comeback is critical to the governor's long-term strategy to make Michigan the center of a North American trade region that stretches from Saint Louis to Montreal.
By Consuelo McAboy
The increasing cost of gas prices nationwide has provoked many Michigan citizens to rely on two wheels as opposed to four, which may have resulted in an increased number of bicycle accidents last year.
Now, the state marks National Bike Month by reminding bicyclists and motorists of the safety precautions.
The Michigan Department of Transportation released statistics from 2011, indicating a high number of fatal crashes involving bicyclists.
The report shows almost 2,000 reported bicycle accidents and 24 fatalities.
Janet Foran is a spokesperson for the Department. She said the poor economy could be a factor in the number of crashes.
"The number of crashes has increased if you compare 2010 to 2011 crashes. We're starting to see more bicyclists on the road and that could be a factor of the economy so people are turning to things like transportation, bicycles, and other means. This could be a factor in the number of crashes, but it's important to note that all of them are preventable."
Foran says there are multiple safety precautions that bicyclists should be aware of.
She said paying attention to their surroundings and wearing reflective clothing that stands out to motorists are most important.
By Rick Pluta Michigan is now the 31st state to allow motorcyclists to ride without a helmet. Governor Rick Snyder signed the measure to repeal the helmet law Thursday. Michigan's new law allows people 21 and older with training or two years experience to ride without helmets as long as they buy an additional 20 thousand dollars of injury coverage, which would pay for less than a week in an intensive care ward. Rider groups have lobbied to make Michigan a helmet-optional state since the helmet law was enacted in the 1970s. Their efforts have always been blocked by highway safety advocates, doctors, and insurance companies that insist repealing the helmet law will cause more deaths and serious injuries and boost medical costs. But opponents of the old helmet law say repealing the requirement won't result in those dire predictions. And they say Michigan's tourism industry will be a winner, attracting riders who don't want to wear helmets starting this weekend. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta It's now Governor Rick Snyder's decision on whether to repeal Michigan's motorcycle helmet law. The state Senate has approved a measure to end the requirement, and it will soon be on the governor's desk. Governor Snyder has not said one way or the other what he intends to do. The Senate bill would allow people 21 and over to ride without head protection, if they carry extra insurance coverage. But that did not persuade state Senator Roger Kahn, who is also a doctor. He said helmets save lives and protect against injuries that would otherwise be more severe. "You take 'em away, the accidents increase, the deaths increase, the costs increase, to what end? To have your hair blow in the wind?" Advocates for repealing the law say safety training is more important than head protection. People in Michigan's hospitality industry also support the repeal. They say there will be more Michigan motorcycle tourism without the helmet requirement. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Amy Robinson
Michigan roads in central counties and in the thumb will see 42-million dollars in improvements this year.
The improvements are part of the State's five-year Transportation Program
Anita Richardson with the Department of Transportation explains where the work will focus.
"...Well, we're going to give I-75 a break this year, so we've just got one major project that we have planned for I-75, that's in Arenac county, and we're going to do work at three locations there. Other work includes work on US-127 in Clare county. We're going to do some rehabilitation of bridges there, there are five bridges total. We're repairing lanes on westbound I-69 in Lapeer county. And we have work on I-475, again that's road and bridge work in addition to work on our M-routes."
Richardson said despite the approved funding for this year's' work, Michigan is being challenged by a drop in transportation funding. She said the state is facing a one-point-four-billion dollar shortfall in matching funds. Without that money, Richardson said federal grants that could benefit Michigan roads will go unclaimed.
By Amanda Harrison
Four Michigan counties have been approved to begin construction on bike and walking trails.
The projects are largely funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Emmett and Leelanau counties are two of four who will begin construction on an estimated seven miles of bike and walking trails.
The projects are designed to support tourism and healthy life styles.
Brenda Hicks is with the MDOT. She said the grant competition was very competitive.
"The grants are all reviewed and scored and the ones that score highest are able to be funded. And it's also important to know that this funding is a maximum of 80 parent of the project cost. The remainder has to come either from the state or local government and sometimes the private sector funding to complete that project."
Livingston and Kent Counties were also grant recipients.
By Amanda Harrison
Four Michigan counties have been approved to begin construction on bike and walking trails.
The projects are largely funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Emmett and Leelanau counties are two of four who will begin construction on an estimated seven miles of bike and walking trails.
The projects are designed to support tourism and healthy life styles.
Brenda Hicks is with the MDOT. She said the grant competition was very competitive.
"The grants are all reviewed and scored and the ones that score highest are able to be funded. And it's also important to know that this funding is a maximum of 80 parent of the project cost. The remainder has to come either from the state or local government and sometimes the private sector funding to complete that project."
Livingston and Kent Counties were also grant recipients.
By Laura Weber Voters may soon be asked to decide whether Michigan should scrap the 19-cent pre-gallon gas tax at the pump in favor of an increase in the state's sales tax. The change would help generate more money for transportation funding. A proposal to put the question to voters is gaining momentum with some legislative leaders at the state Capitol. The proposal would get rid of the gas tax drivers pay at the pump. It would also increase the sales tax by one percent and dedicate that additional money toward transportation funding. That change would require a constitutional amendment and put the question to voters on the ballot. State Representative Paul Opsommer is chair of the state House Transportation Committee. He said if taxpayers are asked to pay more for transportation they should have a say in how or whether it's done. "I think it's important that they have a voice, especially if we're really going to make a complete directional change in how we fund roads." Democrats on the House panel say they are interested in the proposal, but they say it is only one piece of the puzzle for transportation funding. Governor Rick Snyder has called on lawmakers to approve more than one billion dollars in additional funding to pay for the state's crumbling bridges and roads. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation now have federal approval to start using a stretch of rail that can accommodate trains traveling as fast as 110 miles an hour. It's the first leg of faster service between Detroit and Chicago. Jeff Cranson is with the Michigan Department of Transportation. And he said Michigan stands to benefit in many ways as it builds modern rail service that stretches across the Lower Peninsula. "Young people, especially, really like rail travel. All the demographics indicate this is where things are going." It will be years before the enhanced Detroit-to-Chicago rail line is completed, Cranson said, but when it is, that should significantly boost business travel and tourism between the Windy City and the Motor City. "You can have breakfast in Chicago and come see the Tigers beat the White Sox that evening. " Cranson said the stretch between Kalmazoo and Porter-Indiana begins the country's first enhanced speed outside the northeastern U-S. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta Legislation that would allow counties to abolish their road commissions is on its way to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature. The decision on whether to scrap road commissions would be left up to county boards, which would absorb the responsibility for managing roads and the money that goes with it. The legislation was fiercely opposed by county road commissioners who say it will induct local political rivalries into the business of managing services like plowing and road repairs. But Republican state Representative Dale Zorn said county commissions won't scrap their road commissions if it doesn't make financial sense. "...and, in the end, it's going to put more money toward local roads." Governor Snyder is expected to sign the legislation. It's one of the measures he called for as part of a drive to make local government more efficient. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber A package of bills that would increase the state's vehicle registration fees and the amount drivers pay for a gallon of gas has been rolled out at the state Capitol. It's designed to generate more than a billion dollars to help fix the state's crumbling bridges and roads. Under the proposal, vehicle registration fees would be raised by 67 percent. And a new sales tax on gas at the wholesale level would eliminate the fuel tax at the pump, but cost drivers about nine cents more per gallon. That's according to Republican state Representative Rick Olson who says there needs to be better funding for bridges and roads. "It really goes back down to the need. With the study we showed we need at least 1.4 billion or we're going to need to spend more in the future." Olson said there are no plans to turn any of the state's major highways into toll roads. Governor Rick Snyder called on lawmakers to approve the new revenue for transportation. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Chris McCarus
Last night, the Troy City Council approved construction of a new bus and train station. Last month, the newly elected Tea Party mayor of Troy led the council to reject the project and turn down $8 million dollars from Washington.
Anti-tax, anti-transit mayor Janice Daniels said little during the meeting. She knew that one of the councilman had changed his mind. Councilman Wade Fleming voted for the project because it shrunk from 8 to 6 million dollars.
"The bottom line is this is federal money. Like it or not, it'll be spent on a transit center somewhere in this country if we do not use it in Troy."
The transit center building will be smaller under the new plan. The train platform will be shorter and the heated sidewalks won't be built. Councilman Dave Henderson was on the mayor's side.
"I think the whole project is suspect. I don't see the benefits."
The Troy Chamber of Commerce has been promoting the transit center for 7 years. To get it approved, they're now in charge of finding money for the operating costs so taxpayers never pay anything.
By Laura Weber Business advocates want state lawmakers to approve adequate funding to maintain Michigan's aging bridges and roads. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce said transportation funding will be a big issue for them in 2012. Michigan Chamber of Commerce president Richard Studley said the state's roads are crumbling and rougher than the roads in neighboring states. He said that does not make Michigan look good when people travel here. Studley said lawmakers need to find efficiencies within the transportation system to help shift more money to road and bridge construction. "We've got to squeeze more money out of the system, but in the end you can't get there with just efficiencies and reforms. We have to double our state's investment over the next few years." Studley said that means increasing user fees for drivers; such as through gas taxes or registration fees. Lawmakers estimate the state needs to spend between one and two billion dollars more just to maintain the state's roads, but many are hesitant to approve any tax or fee hikes. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Amy Robinson
Many people are working on final holiday preparations this week, and so is the post office. Offices around Michigan were doing a brisk business Monday in what was the biggest package-mailing day of the year.
Darrel Kordie is Postmaster of the Mt Pleasant Post office.
He said mail volumes are high this year, despite reports that more people are turning to online options.
"It seems to be busier. It really does seem to be busier. We're delivering more packages and we seem to be busier at the counter. I can tell you locally, our revenue is up over the same period last year."
The postal service said it's delivered 16-and-a-half billion letters, packages and cards between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Kordie said postal workers will be working on Christmas Eve since Saturday is a normal mail deliver day. Since it is, he said if you use Express Delivery, you should be able to mail a package or letter on Friday and it'll be delivered before Christmas.
Michigan lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are blasting China's decision to increase tariffs on American-made automobiles. The new tariffs were immediately decried by figures across the political spectrum from the Obama administration, to Democratic Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and Republican Representative Dave Camp. The Chinese plan on imposing up to a 22 percent tariff on cars and S-U-V's made in the United States. That's on top of a 25 percent duty that is already assessed by Chinese officials. Many economic observers believe the new tariffs are the result of the U-S winning a World Trade Organization case against China earlier this fall. The Chinese were accused of dumping below-cost tires in the U-S market. Senator Levin called on the U-S Trade Representative to immediately challenge the tariffs before the W-T-O. He said if the tariffs remain in place, they could negatively affect General Motors, Chrysler and Ford sales in the growing Chinese car market. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Chris McCarus
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has asked the federal government if it can divert funds from light rail to an express bus system. Transit supporters in Detroit and Lansing are stunned. Chances are slim that a rail line in Woodward will be built anytime soon.
Dennis Schornack is Governor Snyder's point man on transit in Southeast Michigan. He's promoting a bus rapid transit system that would run along Woodward, Gratiot, Grand River, Michigan and M59. Buses have their own lanes that cars can't veer into. Arrivals and departures can be tracked on clocks inside bus stations...
"They're more sophisticated than a bus. They have WiFi capability. They are very comfortable vehicles that move at the same speed as light rail at much less cost. For example, for the proposed Woodward light rail system, for the same price you can deliver a 110 mile system that reaches 4 counties and 4.2 million people."
The titans of Detroit business had pledged to spend $100 million of their own money for the light rail line from downtown to 8 Mile. It would cost about $600 million. Light rail could trigger investment in housing, stores and restaurants. It's been touted more as an economic development tool. On November 7, Dennis Schornack held a meeting with Mayor Bing and the leaders of all 4 surrounding counties. They all agreed to bus rapid transit. But they didn't all know that the light rail plan would be dropped. Schornack said that was Bing's idea. As for the state?
"So no we're not rejecting anything. We're just saying that it can be accommodated by this flexible system."
Flexible in that light rail could be added later. But private investors, the city and the federal government already had the rail money lined up. And according to Edson Tennyson, a former Pennsylvania transportation official, light rail is about 20% cheaper to operate than bus rapid transit. State Senator Coleman Young is surprised...
"You know I just what the conversation was between the governor and the mayor when they went up there to Washington to talk about this to say they were going to nix it for buses. I mean you know. What is that all about? I felt that was real sad because it's something the City of Detroit wanted for a long time."
This year, funding and service for city and suburban bus service nose dived. Federal officials wanted to see a solid bus system before funding light rail. So transit czar Dennis Schornack is moving ahead with plans to create a regional transit authority. The RTA would have 10 members split between Detroit and 4 counties. Schornack said their job will be...
"To specify exactly what services people will be paying for. Because people don't vote to tax themselves if they don't know what they're buying. They have to understand what they're buying and what value it will deliver to them and then have the opportunity to say yes I will help pay for it or no I won't."
The regional transit authority bills will be introduced in the state senate transportation committee in January. The last light rail lines were torn from Detroit streets in 1956. It appears they won't come back for at least a few more years.
By Chelsea Hagger The annual fee paid by Michigan drivers with seven or more points on their licenses will soon be eliminated. The measure would eliminate the annual driver responsibility fee assessed for driving with an expired license, for failure to produce proof of insurance, and for not having no-fault insurance. Senator Burt Johnson said the fee is unfair to drivers who have already paid a fine for a traffic violation. He said the fees put a lot of drivers in debt. "It did bring in a lot of money, however, it was unjust and many other states that have enacted it they have started to go the other way and repeal it. And Michigan is following suit, we're late, but we're following suit." Johnson said he would like to eventually see the driver responsibility fee eliminated completely. Major traffic violations, such as driving under the influence of alcohol, would still be assessed the annual fee. The measure is now on its way to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber
Governor Rick Snyder's suggestion that the state could raise vehicle registration fees to help pay for Michigan's infrastructure has gotten a lukewarm reception at the state Capitol.
Lawmakers have been discussing alternatives to help generate more than a billion dollars in additional revenue for bridges and roads.
Republican state Senator John Proos said some of the money collected from the sales tax paid on gasoline should be earmarked specifically for transportation and infrastructure. He said he knows relying on fuel and sales taxes as a solid source of road funding is complicated because the price and demand for gasoline is always in flux.
"You're looking at a decrease in value over time as we have higher fuel economy standards, etcetera. But the reality of it is we have the money today, we just ought to make sure it goes to the right place."
Another proposal in the state Senate would eliminate the state's fuel tax in favor of an increase in the sales tax to pay for infrastructure. That constitutional change would need to be approved by voters. Legislative leaders say they are considering all transportation funding proposals, but they are not interested in raising taxes.
For the Michigan Public Radio Network, this is Laura Weber.
By Rick Pluta Governor Rick Snyder said developing faster and more-reliable rail service is critical to Michigan's economic future. The governor delivered the opening address to a conference on improving train service in Michigan. Governor Snyder is trying to build support for an infrastructure strategy that includes spending a lot more money on higher-speed passenger rail service and a faster, bigger network to transport agricultural and manufactured goods. He said the current system of rails and roads will not be able to keep up with growing demand. He said a record 800 thousand Michigan riders used Amtrak last year. That number is expected to approach a million in 2012. "Rail can solve some real problems. It can add to sustainability. It can be economically efficient." The governor envisions Michigan as the center of a Midwest-to-Canada business corridor that accounts for a third of North America's economic activity. Republican leaders, though, say many taxpayers are still not convinced they should pay more to build a thriving rail network. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Chris McCarus Today in Lansing Governor Rick Snyder continued to push his case for public investment in infrastructure. A deputy U.S. Secretary of Transportation joined him for a today's conference on rail transit. Transit advocates helped shape the content of the governor's speech last week. He delivered it in an engineering lab at Lawrence Technical University in Southfield. "Why is transit so critical? Well first of all, for most of us, we don't think about it. But for a lot of people in our state that's their lifeline to employment. They depend on a bus or other form of transportation to get to work. If they don't get to work they don't have a job. If they don't have a job it's a terrible situation. So we need to do better with our transit. The second thing is if we want to revitalize our urban areas, and I believe we're all committed to that, for Michigan to be a great state Detroit has to be on the path to being a great city. It's we need a transit system that really works. And the third piece that goes along with that transit system is that is one of the main attractors of young people. And I heard that every day on the campaign trail. Besides jobs it was keeping our kids in the state." Snyder proposed beefed up bus lines on Woodward, Gratiot, Michigan and M59. Minus M59, those are the original spokes in the hub of the Detroit wheel. Street cars ran along them for half a century. Now, people in their '20's and '30's are leaving Michigan for places like Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina. They've built new transit networks. Click on Detroityes.com for daily discussions about light rail on Woodward. Detroiters are hungry for it. Bill Rustem is the governor's land use guru. He said having the city and suburbs agree to bus rapid transit will help get Woodward light rail later. "Right now what we know is the first 3.4 miles may have at least the building funding if not the operational funding for the first 3.4 miles. The question is, how do you move people in the short run from there and beyond out into the outer counties. That's why this kind of a system doesn't preclude light rail sometime in the future but it creates a system that can work for now because what we have in southeast Michigan right now isn't working." The rail conference was held today at the Lansing Center. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta Governor Rick Snyder and federal transportation officials will speak Monday at a conference in Lansing on improving rail service in Michigan. Michigan has 540 miles of publicly owned rail. The governor has called for improving and expanding that system to move people and cargo more quickly and efficiently. The governor said he will seek more federal dollars and wants part of vehicle registration fees to be used for improving mass transit. Sara Wurfel is the governor's press secretary. "He believes very strongly that infrastructure is very important both to Michigan's economy and to the future and that rail is very important to that mix, both passenger and freight." The state recently won a federal grant to purchase and upgrade 140 miles of track to be part of accelerated rail service between Detroit and Chicago. The governor's plans for the state include making Michigan a central point in a regional business corridor that runs from Chicago to Toronto. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber The head of the Michigan Department of Transportation said he is working to make sure Governor Rick Snyder's proposals to fix bridges and roads will be reflected in the state's spending plan in the next fiscal year. The governor delivered his special message on transportation and infrastructure earlier this week. Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudel said he will meet soon with the chairs of the House and Senate transportation committees to discuss the upcoming budget. He said Governor Snyder's proposals will help guide the priorities set in that budget discussion. "You know, it's going to be a road map for us, saying 'Here's the things that are important to this administration, and we're going to go through and drive and get these things done.'" Governor Snyder called on lawmakers to find close to one-and-a-half billion dollars in additional revenue to help repair Michigan's bridges and roads. A lawmaker who helped author a report on transportation funding said he is not sure the Republican-led Legislature will be supportive of Snyder's suggestion to increase vehicle registration fees to help raise revenues. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta It would be legal in Michigan for some motorcyclists to ride without a helmet under a bill approved by a state House committee. This is the newest compromise that opponents of the helmet law hope will win the support of Governor Rick Snyder. The bill would allow motorcyclists 21 years and older with at least two years of experience to ride without helmets. Republican state Representative Peter Petallia is the sponsor. He saidMichigan is the only state in the Midwest that does not allow motorcycle riders to remove their helmets. "If Michigan did not have a helmet law, so you think we would enact a helmet law? My answer would be 'no.'" Governor Snyder has said he will not support a helmet law repeal without assurances the costs of medical care for injured riders won't be passed along to taxpayers or insurance ratepayers. The Petallia bill would require riders who want to ditch their helmets to carry an additional 20 thousand dollars in medical coverage. Opponents of the repeal say that would not cover a week of intensive care. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Rick Pluta A procedural twist has delayed a vote on a new international bridge connecting Detroit and Canada. State Senate leaders expect to make another attempt to win committee approval of the stalled project Thursday. The Republican chairman of the state Senate Economic Development Committee abruptly adjourned the meeting when he was handed a new version of the bridge legislation by someone from Governor Rick Snyder's office. Senator Mike Kowall said he won't call a vote on the legislation until after he's reviewed it. "I'm running this committee and I'm not voting on something unless I know what's in this bill." "We don't need to be spending four-point-seven billion dollars on a bridge. It's ridiculous." That's Minister Malik Shabazz of Detroit. He led a group that started chanting and shouting as the meeting ended. His group has ties to the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, which has spent millions opposing a competing publicly owned bridge. Shabazz said his group will return to Lansing to oppose the bridge project when a new meeting is scheduled. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber G-O-P leaders in the state Senate said they hope to hold a vote as soon as this week on the project to build a second bridge connecting Detroit to Canada. The first test of support among the entire Republican caucus would be whether the measure to create a bridge authority is voted out of the state Senate Economic Development Committee, or if it is moved to a different committee. Many Republicans remain skeptical that Michigan taxpayers won't assume any financial risk despite Canada's promise to pay all the construction costs. Republican state Senator Dave Hildenbrand supports the bridge, but says the campaigns against the bridge muddied the discussion and made the project harder to approve. "It's becoming more and more apparent to me that there's just a lot of misinformation that's being thrown around and I'm digging in to find out the real facts, and the more I look at it the more I think that this is a decent project that we ought to consider potentially moving forward on." Hildenbrand said months of testimony and research left him confident that the bridge would be a good deal for Michigan taxpayers. The new bridge is opposed by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, which stands to lose a lot of business if a second span is built. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber
A fierce divide between Republican state lawmakers over a proposal to build a second bridge between Detroit and Canada will force G-O-P leaders to reinvent their plans to move the question forward.
The chairman of the committee handling the bridge proposal said he does not have enough Republican support to move the issue forward.
State Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said the proposal could be bounced to a committee he chairs, where it would most likely move quickly. Richardville said a lot of misinformation floating around has unnecessarily confused the bridge issue. And he said there are not just two sides to the debate over whether to build the publicly owned bridge.
"There's like 40 sides, and it seems like we hear 39 different stories when we look at those 40 sides."
Richardville said he is not giving up on the bridge proposal, and there could be a vote on the measure in the Senate within the next couple weeks.
Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber A proposal to build a publicly owned second bridge between Detroit and Canada could be nearing a critical vote at the state Capitol. It's still unclear if the proposal has enough support to win approval by the Legislature. Republican state Senator Mike Kowall chairs the committee considering the bridge proposal. He said lawmakers have discussed the proposal ad nauseum, and collected a wealth of information from both sides of the debate over the past few months. "You know, it's my responsibility to gather up all of the information, and I think we're just about to the end of it." But Kowall said he does not think he has the votes among Republicans on his committee to approve the proposal. If the measure does not move out of that committee, it could be reassigned by Republican leaders to another committee with more Republican support. Governor Rick Snyder's administration also said it may pursue other avenues to build the bridge if the Legislature fails to approve the project. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Amy Robinson
As you hit the road for your evening commute, think for a moment how much different your travels would be in a car with no radio, no air conditioning and, with a top speed of 50 miles an hour, definitely no speeding.
A Traverse City, Michigan man has has been enjoying this kind of automotive counter-culture for nearly a year now. He's been tooling around the Midwest in a royal blue Model A.
Besides what some might call automotive deprivation, there is a point to all this.
So, when I think of a Model A, I picture the classic antique car, the stately old gentleman of the automotive world.
No one told me that stately old gentleman would be so loud.
Do you ever feel like it's gona fall apart? "Hahaha, actually I, ha, I used to be a stickler for uh, ya know if you had any bit of rattle or squeak inside my car, but yes, in this car you quickly get over it."
Jonathon Klinger has had 11 months to get over his squeak-aversion. This 29-year old has committed himself to one year of driving an 81-year old car.
His rules: this is the only care he'll drive, no matter what the weather or the distance. The only exception is if he has to fly for work. Car rentals have a lot of models, but no stately gentlemen. Most of the car, including the horn, is original. The only modifications were for safety; seat belts, safety glass and radial tires. No hidden radio or creature comforts.
"For the most part, the car is exactly as it would have rolled off the assembly line back in 1930."
Klinger, who lives in the Traverse City area, has been all over the Midwest in the A. Indiana, Ohio of course Michigan. He's even braved the Windy City.
"I hit Chicago at 5:30, on a Wednesday which was like two days before Christmas, and it was snowing and I just figured I was doomed. And it actually wasn't that bad."
The Mighty Model A cruises along nicely at 45 or 50 miles an hour. It can hit 65, but Klinger says that's for sprinting, not for distance.
"I have a few times legitimately passed someone and boy is that a sense of accomplishment when you do that."
He said what the car lacks in speed it makes up for in determination. Apparently I was the only one who was skeptical that it'd make it up the hill.
"This is this shows extent of a 40 horse power. Haha, it's, it's, it's going I think I can, I think I can. That's all 40 horses working there. Yup, and we made it."
Klinger said there are a couple hundred thousand Model A's in at least near-drivable condition in the US. He said he's one of only a handful of people who actually drive one. And he said he's one of a tiny micro-chasm of the Model A community with no backup ride waiting in the garage.
Klinger launched his project "365 Days of A" to make a few points; That not everything we own has to have a computer in it. That you don't have to be a millionaire to own a classic car. He said this one cost 11-grand. And that these octogenarian automobiles can and should be driven.
"I don't understand that whole trailer queen phenomenon when it comes to people with old cars. What I, what I mean by trailer queen is there's some people that have a car that the only time it ever gets run is when they drive it from in their garage into their enclosed trailer, they haul it to the car show, then they back it off the trailer and back it off onto the show field and they're wearing white gloves and they spend the whole day, ya know worried, don't touch it, ya know, and heaven forbid it might get dusty, they dusted it off. And for me that's no fun."
Klinger may have seen some of those trailer queens on his grand finale trip; he's just returned from a big car show in Hersey Pennsylvania.
He said after 13,000 miles, he's learned a lot from the Model A. That a car with skinny tires and low power handles great in the snow. But in the summer, the upright windshield hits every bug that comes along. And that the stately old gentleman of the automotive world has a lot to teach us about longevity, determination and enjoying the journey.
By David Nicholas
In Amy Robinson's feature story today, the driver of the Model A also talked about the fuel economy of the iconic car, he said the old Fords were advertised for 25 mpg, the actual average was closer to sixteen miles per gallon.
On the roads today, the Natural Resources Defense Council has completed a study that ranks projected savings in individual states if and when new fuel efficiency standards are adopted.
Henry Henderson of the NRDC office in Chicago said Americans will save over $44 billion at the pump, the study said Michigan ranked 14th in the projected savings would save $976 million or around $240 per household...
"So the idea is that if our vehicles in the United States are more fuel efficient, um, we will be keeping more money in the United States by spending less and less on fuel that we have to then export billions of dollars a year which the United States is bleeding."
Many environmental groups had been pushing for a 60 mpg standard, the Obama Administration is calling for a 54.5 mpg standard by 2025.
By Rick Pluta The state could announce as soon as this week that it's reached a deal to buy 140 miles of railroad between Dearborn and Kalamazoo. It's another step in a project to build a rail network to accommodate trains traveling more than 100 miles an hour. The state's final cost will be close to a million dollars for every mile of rail purchased from the freight carrier Norfolk Southern. The vast majority of the money comes from the federal government. Some of it is transit funds that were refused by Republican governors of other states. Michigan's goal is to complete a rapid transit link between Detroit and Chicago. Hugh McDiarmid is with the Michigan Environmental Council, which backs the project. He said eventually other Michigan cities can be pulled into the system so more people will have easy access to speedy rail service. "So, hopefully, this is the beginning of something better for transportation in Michigan and in the Midwest." State transportation officials hope higher-speed service will boost Amtrak ridership, even if people are paying higher fares to reach their destinations more quickly. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Amanda Harrison
A two day "Transit Odyssey" is happening this weekend. Members of an organization called Transportation for Michigan Coalition and others will take a trip across the state to raise awareness of the benefits of public transportation. The odyssey will make a number of stops, the last one in Traverse City on Sunday.
Tim Fischer is with the Michigan Environmental Council. He said the team will be speaking with law makers on ways to make public transit more efficient and cost effective.
"And simply pointing out to them that we do have the services, that we can connect our cities and we do connect our cities right now. That with their support and their voice we can really publicize that we have these connections."
Fischer said cities have good transportation services but they need more support from the state. He said public transits can be what he calls, "gateways to cities. "
He said currently some of the issues facing public transit is coordination. He said because of lay overs and stops a trip that could be made in one day often takes two.
Fisher said the Michigan Environmental council has also long been a supporter of high speed rail service. Wednesday the state House passed a bill approving funding for improvements on a rail system between Detroit and Chicago. The bill has has passed the senate and is now on its way to Governor Rick Snyder for his consideration.
By Laura Weber State Republican leaders said they hope to move forward in October with a proposal to build a publicly owned second bridge between Detroit and Canada. Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley said a second bridge would benefit businesses throughout the state. He said a publicly owned bridge that connects major highways on both sides of the river would keep exports streaming into Canada from Michigan. "We make all kinds of things in this state and we sell them all over the world. But nobody buys more of our Michigan-made products than Canada." Calley was on Mackinac Island this weekend for a Michigan Republican Party conference. He says he thinks the bridge project is a conservative one that will be attractive to Republicans and Democrats alike. Calley says one of the biggest hurdles is countering the influence of a multi-million dollar ad campaign. That campaign is paid for by the owners of the existing Ambassador Bridge. Copyright 2010, MPRN
By Laura Weber A bipartisan workgroup at the state Capitol said the state needs to more than double its annual spending to maintain Michigan's roads. Republican state Representative Rick Olson said the state needs to spend at least one-point-four billion dollars more a year just to maintain roads. "It's the old saying, the old oil changing ad pay me now or pay me much more later." Some lobbyists in Lansing said the Republican-led Legislature should approve a gas tax increase of a few pennies on a gallon of gas to help pay for roads. And they hang their hat on the argument that Republicans including President Ronald Regan have traditionally supported gas taxes to pay for infrastructure. But Olson said even a few more pennies on a gallon of gas would not cover the costs the state is staring down for road maintenance. He said the Legislature will need to find a larger, more permanent solution and soon. Copyright 2010, MPRN
BY LAURA WEBER Michigan Public Radio Network
A state Senate panel is expected to start hearings back up on a proposed second bridge between Detroit and Canada.
Lawmakers say they still have a lot of testimony they need to hear before they can make a decision.
State Sen. Geoff Hansen is from Oceana County. He says people ask him every day about the Detroit bridge proposal, even on the west side of the state.
"It's been brought up to a really high profile thing with all the advertising on the TV and all the fliers that have come out," Hansen said.
Hansen was one of a handful of targets for negative campaigns from a conservative group supported by the owners of the existing Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. The group went after Republican lawmakers who had yet to make a decision on the bridge. Hansen says he tells people who ask him about the project that there is too much information to gather and too much at stake to make a quick decision one way or the other. Gov. Rick Snyder's administration hopes lawmakers make the decision to approve the long-talked-about bridge project before the end of the year.
A ferry company is going great lengths to keep its business afloat.
The SS Badger is a car ferry that transports passengers and vehicles between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Lynda Matson is the Vice President of Customer Service and Marketing for
the Badger. She said the ferry is the last coal-fired ferry in the
Great Lakes region.
She said because the ferry dumps about four tons of coal ash into Lake
Michigan per day from mid-May to mid-October, the company must get
proactive in finding an alternative fuel source or they'll be shut down.
"Currently, after looking at many other options including ash
containment and switching to diesel, we were contacted by DTE Energy
with the suggestion of converting to natural gas. And that is currently
where we're putting all of our time and energy and resources to create
this program that has never been done before."
Matson said this is the first time a vessel will have converted from
coal to natural gas. She said there is no timeline set at this point
because of the amount of research that has yet to be conducted.
Picture is property of Madmaxmarchhare at en.wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html),
CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
from Wikimedia Commons
BY LAURA WEBER A group of state Senators held a committee hearing on a rolling bus tour through Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Monday. The tour was set up to help lawmakers weed through arguments for and against a proposal to build a second bridge between Detroit and Canada. Truck driver David Drumm stopped to listen in as Ambassador Bridge owners spoke with lawmakers at the foot of the bridge. Drumm drives a freight truck over the Ambassador a few times a day. He said the 80-year-old bridge is a wreck, and funnels too many trucks into downtown Windsor. "It's a zoo. I mean those poor people, I couldn't imagine living in Windsor and trying to get through all those trucks." Drumm is not convinced that there is enough traffic to necessitate the second bridge. But he said the current bridge does not work either, with poor routing and too few booths. Canadian officials and representatives from the city of Detroit said the Ambassador Bridge owners' plans for a second span are not feasible, and a publicly owned bridge that would compete with the Ambassador is necessary. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
BY LAURA WEBER State lawmakers are scheduled to return next week to the Capitol from their two-month summer break. However this week a handful of legislators will head to Detroit as discussions intensify over whether to build a publically owned bridge to Canada. A group of lawmakers will tour the site proposed for a second bridge from Detroit to Canada. And they will hear from parties interested in and opposed to building the second span. The tour and meetings are expected to last all day, and Senate hearings on the bridge issue will resume when lawmakers return next week. Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley said Governor Rick Snyder's administration is serious about getting the project approved before the end of the year. As for the governor, this week he is in the Upper Peninsula, touring businesses and meeting with community leaders. A spokeswoman for the governor said the bridge in Detroit could come up in those meetings. She said a bridge in the southern part of the state is still an important issue in the U-P because the infrastructure would have a big impact on agriculture and businesses throughout the state. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
BY LAURA WEBER
Officials from Governor Rick Snyder's administration said they have been using the summer months to try and build support for a deal to build another bridge between Detroit and Canada.
Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley said the Snyder administration would like to resolve the bridge issue before the end of the year. And he said he thinks there is support in the Legislature to win approval and move forward.
State Senate hearings on the bridge resume next week. Republican Majority Leader Randy Richardville said he will not bring it up for a vote until he knows a majority of Senate Republicans support the plan. Calley said there are a few ways to get the project moving if the Legislature does not give approve it. It's not clear what those ways would be. But any money spent by the state needs to be appropriated by the Legislature, so a plan that does not involve the Legislature could cut the state out of the deal altogether.
This fall, Ferris State University is teaming with the Rapid to launch a new service that will provide bus transportation between Grand Rapids and Big Rapids
The shuttle will go in between the satellite campus in Grand Rapids and back to Ferris State twice a day.
Ed Sheppard is with the Business Services at Ferris State. He said many students and staff have requested a shuttle.
He said people can pay eight dollars for a day pass or 700 dollars for a semester pass.
Sheppard- "The 700 per semester, individuals driving back and forth we had folks that calculated that. And it is actually less expensive at 700 per semester. For students who are coming up four or five days a week it's much less expensive if they're paying that."
The initial service is being run as a pilot program. The success of this upcoming year will determine if it will continue.
The justices of the Michigan Supreme Court have made their final rulings of this term. That includes a decision that says Michigan cannot be sued for injuries sustained on state-owned trails for all-terrain vehicles.
A woman sued the Michigan Department of Natural Resources after she flipped her A-T-V while riding with family and friends on a state-owned trail. The vehicle flipped over half-buried boards sticking out of the ground. The woman hit some trees and injured her back. She argued the state is responsible for maintaining trail safety as it is for maintaining highways. She said the trail fell under the definition of a highway. But the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a trail is a trail or a route, and the state is not responsible for safety on the trails as it is for the highways. The court ruled four-to-three in favor of the state.
You've probably heard of all kinds of awareness months; April was Alcohol Awareness month, May was Health Vision Month ... and there are a host of others. Now the National Motorists Association has declared June for a cause of it's own. Lane Courtesy Awareness month is aimed at those drivers who get into the left - so called - "passing lane" and then tool along below the speed limit.
Sgt. Dave Kaiser with the Michigan State Police post in Mt Pleasant says what may seem like nothing more than a frustrating annoyance is also a real traffic hazard, "They're not paying attention to the roadway, they're not paying attention to other traffic around them. And like I said, you could be right directly behind them in a police car and they're just not noticing. They're not paying attention. And if they're not paying attention to me in a police car, you know they're not paying attention to the other motoring public."
Sgt. Kaiser says legally you're not supposed to be in the left lane unless you're passing another vehicle or preparing to make a left hand turn.
He says you can be ticketed for "driving in the wrong lane". Although he says most often, officers that he knows stick with giving warnings.
BY RICK PLUTA Capital Bureau Chief, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING -- Spouses, parents, children, and siblings of fallen warriors will soon be able to order a special "Gold Star" license plate from the state. The Gold Star is the traditional emblem for families of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen who are killed in action. Gov. Rick Snyder signed the legislation to create the plate at a service attended by survivors of armed forces members killed in overseas conflicts.
He said on the Memorial Day holiday, those family members also deserve to be remembered and honored.
"Because you are also heroes for the sacrifice you have made, and the burdens you carry, and the grief you suffered for your family members who have made that sacrifice on behalf of our country and all of us and so we need to say 'thank you' for that," Snyder said.
The Gold Star plates will be available to immediate family members of fallen service people after the July Fourth holiday.
More than 200 Michigan service members have been killed in the line of duty since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Six have died this year.
The Michigan Department of Transportation plans on suspending 70 percent of road construction statewide over the coming holiday weekend.
MDOT will lift traffic restrictions on 75 projects statewide, beginning at 3pm Friday.
"It's a tradition for a long time to try to ease travel during holiday weekends, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day weekends," said MDOT Communications Director Jeff Cranson, "both to protect the workers because there is so much more traffic on those holiday weekends, but also to make it easier for people to get to the places they want to go."
Still, Cranson said travelers will encounter some construction over the holiday weekend -- and he urged them to slow down when they do come across an active work zone.
Active Work Zones over the Memorial Day holiday:
Upper Peninsula
- I-75 Business Spur in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, will remain closed between 10th Avenue and Easterday Avenue. Detour on city streets.
- M-35 in Escanaba, Delta County, will have one lane closed for northbound traffic south of US-2/41 (Ludington Street), with one northbound and two southbound lanes open.
- M-123 north of Newberry, Luce County, will remain closed at Murphy Creek. Detour on M-123 and M-28 through Eckerman Corners.
- US-2, Mackinac County, will have a traffic shift between Naubinway and M-117, with one lane open in each direction.
- US-41 in Menominee, Menominee County, will be closed to through-traffic between M-35 and 48th Avenue. Detour on M-35 and 48th Avenue.
- US-141 in Breitung Township, Dickinson County, bridge linking Michigan and Wisconsin will remain closed. Detour on US-141, US-2 and US-8 through Norway.
Northern Lower Peninsula
- The Mackinac Bridge (I-75) will have intermittent lane closures during off-peak hours for painting.
- M-37, Wexford County, will be closed over the Pine River with a posted detour.
- US-131 Business Route (Mitchell Street) in downtown Cadillac, Wexford County, will be closed with a posted detour.
West Michigan
- I-96 in Cascade, Kent County, will have two lanes open in each direction at M-11 (28th Street). M-11 will have two lanes open in each direction.
- I-196 in Grand Rapids, Kent County, will be shifted under Fuller Avenue with two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction. Fuller Avenue will have one lane open in each direction; a left-turn lane from northbound Fuller Avenue to westbound I-196 will be open. The ramp from Fuller Avenue to eastbound I-196 will remain closed.
- M-21 in Ada, Kent County, will have one lane open in each direction on the temporary bridge over the Grand River.
- M-66 (Dexter Street) in the city of Ionia, Ionia County, southbound lanes will be closed from the Grand River to M-21 with a posted detour. One lane remains open on northbound M-66.
- M-121 in Hudsonville, Ottawa County, will continue to have one lane open in each direction between Main Street in Zeeland and 40th Avenue.
- US-31 in Hart, Oceana County, will have a traffic shift and one lane open in each direction from Polk Road to just north of the Monroe Road interchange into Pentwater.
Southwest Michigan
- 142nd Avenue, Allegan County, bridge closed over US-131. A detour is posted; all US-131 lanes will be open.
- Britain Avenue, Berrien County, bridge closed at I-94 with a detour posted. Two lanes of I-94 open in each direction.
- I-94 in Kalamazoo/Portage, Kalamazoo County, will have two lanes maintained in each direction at Westnedge Avenue. The following ramps are closed:
- Southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94; - Southbound Westnedge Avenue to westbound I-94; - Northbound Westnedge Avenue to westbound I-94; - Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue; - Westbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue; and - Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue.
- I-94/Main Street interchange in Mattawan, Van Buren County, will have the eastbound I-94 ramp to Main Street closed; all I-94 traffic lanes open.
- I-196, Berrien County, will have one lane open in each direction over the Coloma Road and CSX bridges at Mile Marker 4.
- I-196 in South Haven, Van Buren County, will have one lane open in each direction over 20th Street (County Road 380).
- M-99 in Albion, Calhoun County, bridge closed over Kalamazoo River and traffic detoured.
- M-140 in Watervliet, Berrien County, will have one lane open in each direction.
- US-12 in Union, Cass County, closed to through-traffic with detours posted.
- US-31, Berrien County, will have one lane open in each direction over the Saint Joseph River.
Central Michigan and Thumb
- I-75, Bay County, will have northbound traffic shifted to southbound lanes from Linwood to Pinconning roads, using a moveable barrier to separate traffic. Wednesday - Saturday: two northbound lanes and one southbound lane will be open. Saturday - Wednesday: two southbound lanes and one northbound will be open.
- I-75, Saginaw and Bay counties, will have three lanes maintained in each direction from M-84 to Crane Road. Three northbound and two southbound "express" lanes are shifted and open on the northbound side of the highway; one southbound "local traffic" lane is running on the southbound side. Access to I-675 and M-84 is maintained on the southbound lane.
- I-675, Saginaw County, remains closed from M-13 to Veterans Memorial Highway. Alternate routes include: M-13 to M-81 to I-75, and northbound I-675 to I-75. Downtown access is available via southbound I-675, using the Warren/Jefferson exit.
- M-13, Bay County, will have one lane open in each direction at Worth Road.
- M-21, Genesee County, will have one lane open in each direction over Mistequay Creek; traffic shifted to the north half of the bridge.
- M-25, Huron County, will remain closed over the White River with traffic detoured.
- M-57, Gratiot County, will have one lane open over Bear Creek with traffic maintained via temporary traffic signals.
- M-84, Bay County, will have southbound lanes open from I-75 to Euclid Avenue. Northbound M-84 is closed from Hotchkiss Avenue to Euclid Avenue with traffic detoured.
Southern Mid-Michigan
- Grand Ledge Rest Area off eastbound I-96, Clinton County, is closed.
- Okemos Rest Area off westbound I-96, Ingham County, is closed.
- Kipp Road, Ingham County, is closed over US-127 with traffic detoured. Two lanes of US-127 open in each direction.
- LaPlaisance Road, Monroe County, will have one lane open over I-75 with traffic maintained using a temporary signal. All lanes on I-75 will be open.
- Page Avenue near Jackson, Jackson County, has one lane maintained in each direction over US-127. Two lanes of US-127 will be open in each direction with a shoulder closure.
- I-69, Shiawassee County, will have one lane open in each direction between M-52 and M-13.
- I-94, Jackson County, has two lanes maintained in each direction between Sargent Road and the Jackson/Washtenaw county line with a traffic shift.
- M-43 (Saginaw Highway), Eaton and Ingham counties, will have two westbound lanes open between Canal Road and Mall Drive West, and between Waverly Road and Rosemary Avenue, with all eastbound traffic detoured.
- M-43 (Grand River Avenue), Ingham County, ramp from northbound US-127 is closed with a detour posted.
- M-43 (Grand River Avenue) near Williamston, Ingham County, has one lane maintained at Meech Road with a temporary signal.
- M-71, Shiawassee County, will be closed over I-69 with a detour posted.
- Old M-78 (Lansing Road), Shiawassee County, will have one eastbound lane open between Woodbury Road and Ruess Road, with westbound traffic detoured.
- M-100 (Wright Road) near Grand Ledge, Clinton County, is closed at I-96 with traffic detoured. Two lanes of I-96 are maintained in each direction with a shoulder closure.
- US-223 east of the village limits of Blissfield, Lenawee County, has one lane maintained with a temporary signal.
Metro Detroit Region
City of Detroit
- I-96 eastbound and westbound ramps to northbound M-39 are closed. Traffic detoured via US-24 (Telegraph Road).
- M-39 (Southfield Freeway) is closed in both directions between M-5 (Grand River Avenue) and M-10 (Lodge Freeway) for reconstruction. Traffic detoured via US-24.
- M-39 down to one lane in both directions between M-5 and M-153 (Ford Road) for ongoing construction.
- M-85 (Fort Street) is closed in both directions between Schaefer Road and Oakwood Boulevard for ongoing reconstruction. Traffic detoured via I-75.
Oakland County
- Crooks Road is reduced to a single lane in each direction over M-59.
- I-75 northbound exit to eastbound M-59 is closed with a detour posted.
- M-5 eastbound and westbound lanes closed between Purdue Street and 8 Mile Road.
- M-59 eastbound ramps to northbound and southbound I-75 are closed with detours posted.
- M-59 westbound ramp to southbound I-75 is closed with a detour posted.
- M-59 has two lanes open in each direction between Crooks and Opdyke roads.
- US-24 has the left northbound lane closed from 12 Mile Road to Maple Road for construction
St. Clair County
- Wadhams Road is reduced to a single lane over I-69 with traffic controlled via a temporary signal.
- I-94/I-69 has two lanes open in each direction between the Black River Bridge and Lapeer Road with a traffic shift and reduced speeds posted. In addition, Riverside Drive is closed under I-94/I-69 and detoured.
- I-94/I-69 eastbound exit to Water Street is closed with a detour posted.
Macomb County
- 11 Mile Road westbound entrance ramp to westbound I-94 is closed. A detour is posted.
- Van Dyke Avenue is reduced to two lanes over I-696.
- I-94 left shoulders closed in each direction between 8 Mile and 11 Mile roads.
- I-696 has shoulder closures in both directions between Van Dyke Avenue and Hoover Road for ongoing bridge construction.
- M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) southbound bridge over the Clinton River is closed. Traffic is detoured to the northbound bridge with a single lane open in each direction on the northbound structure.
Wayne County
- Northline Road entrance ramp to northbound I-75 and the southbound I-75 exit ramp to Northline Road are closed and detoured.
An announcement was made late today by Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry service that the company has filed a motion to terminate litigation against the city of Mackinac Island. Shepler's had been in an ongoing dispute with Island officials over what the ferry service called anti-trust violations. Chris Shepler, Vice President of Shepler's ferry service says he moved to dismiss his complaint after hours of talks with his attorneys. He says his company has the concessions it had been seeking. However, they're still hoping to iron out some issues later this summer "There are some issues with the ordinance that we need to discuss, and we hope, and we've been assured by several people that we will be able to open conversations with the City of Mackinac Island. And with the litigation still out there, that was never going to happen. We were not going to be able to talk to the city with the litigation still pending" The attorney for the City of Mackinac Island dismissed Shepler's announcement as simply a recognition by the company that it was not getting the response it wanted from the Michigan Public Service Commission. Shepler's had filed a complaint with the MPSC in February seeking emergency relief. On May 9, Mackinc Island filed a request to dismiss the case for mootness. Island Attoney Mike Cavanaugh says city officials will meet with Shepler's to discuss island transportation, just as they would with any other ferry service "The City has always told all three of the ferry boat companies it is willing to sit down and meet with them. The City has City Council meetings twice a month, and at those meetings, the city on a fairly regular basis has engaged in discussion with the ferry boat companies. In addition to that the City has scheduled special meeting between its regular meetings to meet with the ferry boat companies when there are issues to discuss. So that has always been the policy of the city and that will continue." Chris Shepler noted that his company's motion to dismiss the litigation was done "without prejudice" which means the company can refile the suit at any time it feels necessary. One thing both sides seems to agree on; at least for the next couple of years, the business of transporting people on and off Mackinac Island can resume, they hope, without further dispute.
Administrators at the International Bridge say fluctuating exchange rates mean the Canadian toll will drop slightly next month.
Peter Petainen is Chief Financial Officer for the International Bridge. He says the Canadian toll is currently slightly higher than the US rate, but they'll be equal for passenger vehicles and commuters beginning in April.
"It has been consistently a drop in the Canadian toll rate over the last two years, as the value of the Canadian dollar has increased against the US currency."
Petainen says International Bridge administrators are required to consider adjusting the Canadian-currency toll rate twice a year, using US currency as a reference.
"The rates will take effect April first. There'll be either an adjustment on October one, or not, depending on what the next six-month average is. So if the Canadian dollar stays consistent for six months, the Canadian rates won't change on October one. If the Canadian dollar declines in value, we may or may not see an adjustment in the Canadian rates up. It all depends on what the next six months hold for us."
Petainen says the population on the Canadian side of the bridge is nearly five times the population on the US side.
"So 70% of the toll revenue that the bridge earns is in Canadian currency. So as the Canadian dollar goes up in value against the US currency, we actually recognize the revenue at a higher value than we would when the Canadian dollar is lower."
The crossing links Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Travel across the Mackinac Bridge has been affected by recent high winds.
Bridge Authority Secretary Bob Sweeney says winds have occasionally topped 50 miles an hour -- calling for partial closures.
"Partial closure is for any vehicle that is towing a trailer, or has a camper attached to it, or pickup trucks that have cappers or tunnel covers on them. The rest of the vehicles can cross the bridge -- all passenger vehicles can cross the bridge, including pickups that have empty beds."
Sweeney says the Bridge Authority was escorting high-profile vehicles before enacting the partial closures.
"Any camper, pickup truck that has a cap on it, or any vehicle that's towing anything or has anything attached to it. It includes semi box trucks -- your typical 18-wheelers -- that have high sides on them, as well."
Officials say the number of drivers requesting escorts has gone up because of the winds.
The Bridge Authority is asking that travelers drive no faster than 20 miles an hour across the bridge during windy conditions. Officials say the wind has caused the number of drivers crossing the bridge to dip a little.
Sweeney points out that travel across the bridge is safe. The only accidents caused by the wind have been a couple instances where awnings on campers or RV's fell open.
By JEROME VAUGHN Courtesy of WDET DetroitHyundai is recalling nearly 140,000 vehicles due to potential steering problems. The recall affects Hyundai Sonata Sedans from the 2011 model year. The vehicles were built between December 2009 and September this year. The universal joint connections in the steering column may have been insufficiently tightened or assembled improperly, said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Officials. The issue could allow the steering wheel to separate from its column, causing a loss of vehicle control. Dealers will inspect the steering column connections and make any necessary repairs at no cost to consumers. NHTSA said the automaker will also update the power steering software. Affected owners will be notified by mail by early October. © Copyright 2010, MPRN
Vacationers will have less roadwork than usual to deal with this holiday weekend.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is lifting traffic restrictions on 122 of 173 construction projects statewide, effective at 3 p.m. today.
That's in anticipation of the estimated 1.2 million people that are expected to hit the road this weekend, according to AAA Michigan.
Roadwork will resume statewide at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Active construction projects this weekend:
Upper Peninsula
- I-75 southbound bridges over Mackinac Trail and the Carp River, Mackinac County, will have one lane open.
- M-28 at the Tenderfoot Creek bridge, Gogebic County, will have one lane of alternating traffic controlled by a temporary signal.
- M-129, Chippewa County, will be closed to through-traffic between M-80 and 10 Mile Road. The Charlotte River Bridge is closed with traffic detoured on M-80, Gaines Highway, I-75 and M-28.
- US-41 in Menominee, Menominee County, will have through-traffic detoured on 38th Avenue, 13th Street, and 23rd Avenue.
Northern Lower Peninsula
- M-55, Manistee County, will have shoulder closures from Udell Hills Road to the Cooley Bridge over the Pine River.
- US-10, Lake County, will have a minimum of one narrowed lane from Broadway Road to Waverly Road open to traffic at all times.
- US-131 Business Route (BR) (Mitchell Street), Wexford County, will have a minimum of one narrowed lane from 13th Street through Boon Road open to traffic in each direction at all times.
West Michigan
- Diamond Avenue over I-196 in downtown Grand Rapids, Kent County, is closed. The following I-196 ramps also will be closed: Southbound US-131 to eastbound I-196; Ionia Avenue to eastbound and westbound I-196; Eastbound I-196 to College Avenue; and Westbound I-196 to Ottawa Avenue.
- I-196 between US-131 and Fuller Avenue, Kent County, will have two lanes of traffic open in each direction.
- M-21 from M-66 to Lovell Street, Ionia County, is closed. Detour on M-21, M-66, Steele Street, Adams Street, Jackson Street, Main Street, and Beardsley Road.
- M-21 over the Flat River in downtown Lowell, Kent County, will be reduced to one eastbound lane open. Westbound M-21 is closed and detoured on local streets.
- US-31 BR over the south branch of the Muskegon River, Muskegon County, will have northbound traffic closed to US-31, with two lanes remaining open to M-120.
Southwest Michigan
- I-94 at Westnedge Avenue in Kalamazoo/Portage, Kalamazoo County, will have two lanes maintained in each direction. The following ramps are closed: Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue; Eastbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue; Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue; Northbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94; and Southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94.
- I-94 Business Loop in downtown Benton Harbor, Berrien County, will have one eastbound lane open with westbound traffic detoured.
- I-196 from 118th Avenue to 130th Street, Allegan County, will have single-lane closures.
- M-40 in downtown Paw Paw, Van Buren County, will have one lane open in each direction.
- M-60 west of Cassopolis, Cass County, is closed at Farm Lane Road and traffic is detoured on M-62 and Hospital Street.
- M-86 north of Bronson, Branch County, is closed from Farrand Road to Babcock Road, and there is a posted detour on county roads.
- M-96 Kalamazoo River mill race bridge in Augusta, Kalamazoo County, will have one lane open with an alternating signal.
Central Michigan and Thumb
- Cody Estey Road over I-75, Bay County, is still closed. Detour: south on M-13 (North Huron Road) to Pinconning Road, west to Seven Mile Road, then north back to Cody Estey Road.
- I-69, Genesee and Lapeer counties, has one lane open in each direction from M-15 to M-24 with traffic shifted onto the eastbound lanes.
- I-75, Bay County, will have three lanes open in each direction from Hotchkiss Road south to Crane Road. Three southbound lanes and one northbound express lane are open on the southbound section while two northbound lanes are open on the northbound section.
- I-475, Genesee County, will have single-lane closures in each direction. Local road closures at the overpasses, along with detours, also are in effect to accommodate ongoing bridge work.
- I-675, Saginaw County, northbound lanes remain closed from Exit 2 north to Tittabawassee Road. Southbound I-675 will have one lane open across the Henry Marsh Bridge.
- M-13, Saginaw County, is closed from Hess Avenue to north of M-46 (Rust Avenue) with a posted detour.
- M-15 over the Sheboygan Drain, Tuscola County, is still closed. Traffic detoured via M-46, west to M-83 and then back north to M-15.
- The M-84 bridge at I-75 across Dutch Creek, Bay County, remains closed with traffic detoured. Two lanes will be open on M-84 at I-75 with lanes shifted to the west side to accommodate construction on the east side.
- M-115 in Farwell, Clare County, will be reduced to one lane just west of Vandecar Road with traffic maintained under a temporary traffic signal.
Southern Mid-Michigan
- Dettman Road over I-94 near Jackson, Jackson County, is closed with a detour posted.
- Geddes Road over US-23 near Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, will have one eastbound lane open, and westbound traffic is detoured.
- I-69 between M-52 and M-13, Shiawassee County, will have single-lane closures in each direction.
- I-75 near Monroe, Monroe County, has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-94 from Sargent Road to the Jackson/Washtenaw county line has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-96 from M-100 to M-43, Clinton and Eaton counties, has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction via median crossovers.
- I-96 from US-127 to Meridian Road, Ingham County, has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction via median crossovers.
- M-43 (Grand River Avenue) near Park Lake Road in Meridian Township, Ingham County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift.
- M-52 north of Manchester to I-94, Washtenaw County, is closed with a detour posted.
- M-52 in Owosso, Shiawassee County, has one northbound lane open with southbound traffic detoured.
- M-99/M-50 in downtown Eaton Rapids, Eaton County, will have one northbound lane open with southbound traffic detoured.
- Old US-27 over I-69 and the Looking Glass River near DeWitt, Clinton County, has single-lane closures in each direction.
Metro Detroit Region
City of Detroit
- Eastbound I-94 has the left lane closed between M-10 (Lodge Freeway) and I-75.
- Northbound and southbound M-1 (Woodward Avenue) are both reduced to a single lane between Tuxedo and Chandler streets.
- Westbound M-8 (Davison Freeway) is closed from Conant Avenue to I-75, while eastbound M-8 has a single lane open from I-75 to Conant Avenue for reconstruction. Westbound traffic will be detoured north on Conant Avenue to westbound McNichols Road, then southbound I-75 back to westbound M-8. The northbound and southbound I-75 ramps to eastbound Davison are closed and detoured as well.
- Northbound and southbound M-85 (Fort Street) are both closed to through-traffic between Oakwood Boulevard and Schaefer Highway. Detours are posted.
- Eastbound and westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) each have two lanes closed between Livernois Avenue and Clark Street.
Oakland County
- I-96 has three lanes open in each direction, with a traffic shift and reduced speeds, between Novi and Beck roads. In addition, the northbound M-5 ramp to westbound I-96 and the eastbound I-96 exit to Novi Road are closed.
- Eastbound and westbound M-59 each have two lanes open between Crooks and Ryan roads via a traffic shift.
- US-24 has the following lanes open in the project limits:
- Northbound and southbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) each have two lanes open between M-102 and I-696.
- Northbound and southbound US-24 each have two lanes open between Maple and Long Lake roads.
- Northbound US-24 has two lanes open from Square Lake to Orchard Lake roads.
Macomb County
- The eastbound I-696 ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed with a detour posted. The remaining two-lane ramps at the I-94/I-696 interchange are each reduced to a single lane.
Wayne County
- The I-275/I-94 interchange will have the following restrictions in place:
- The eastbound I-94 ramp to northbound I-275 is closed with a detour posted;
- The westbound I-94 ramp to southbound I-275 is closed with a detour posted;
- The northbound I-275 ramp to westbound I-94 is closed with a detour posted; and
- Northbound I-275 has the right lane closed at the I-94 interchange.
- Northbound and southbound M-39 (Southfield Road) each have two lanes open between I-75 and I-94.
Young adults with attention disorders tend to make more driving errors than those without those disorders, according to researchers at Central Michigan University.
Researchers say having Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) or the related Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) could make drivers between 18 and 22 as much as twice as likely to make risky decisions on the road, like speeding or running traffic lights.
CMU's Center for Driving Evaluation, Education, and Research is conducting the study. Dr. Richard Backs is the Center's Director.
"More of their problems, in at least simulated driving in our laboratory, seem to be related to these other issues associated with inability to control their emotions, anger, hostility, frustration, when they're behind the wheel, than in any of their actual operational driving abilities."
Dr. Backs says researchers plan to study ways of incorporating impulse control into driver training for young adults with attention disorders.
"Our ultimate goal is to be able to identify how to really approach this problem from the impulsivity/emotion control side, and provide some kind of remediation to help them become better drivers, either something that could be included as a part of drivers' education, or maybe as a separate program."
Dr. Backs says researchers use their AAA Michigan driving simulator to monitor the driving behavior of study participants.
The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced nearly $15 million in funding for transportation enhancement projects. MDOT Director of Communications Bill Shreck says over $3 million of that funding will be used in northeast Michigan. "MDOT along with [DNRE] and local communities are up in the Alpena to Cheboygan route will install crushed limestone on 71 miles of railroad grade, which will allow walkers and bicyclists to use that trail, commonly referred to as the Hawk's Trail." Other projects will develop streets and trails in ten other counties including Bay, Saginaw, and Genessee. One is in Presque Isle County, where nearly half-a-million dollars will fund pedestrian lighting, planters, and brickwork along part of M-68 in Onaway. Shreck says that project will also recognize Onaway's history. "Part of it is placement of one-of-a-kind, three-by-one-foot, "Onaway Steers the World" emblems in the brickwork of the streetscape on sidewalks in the business district area, which celebrate Onaway's history as the largest producer of steering wheels in the 1920's."
A complete list of projects can be found here.Federal dollars support up to eighty percent of transportation enhancement grants, with the rest coming from state, local, and private sources.
State officials are helping communities identify ways to be more walkable. The Department of Transportation will visit seventeen communities to recommend ways to ease traffic and promote walking. MDOT Director of Communications Bill Shreck says officials might recommend several options for increasing walkability in the communities they visit. "They might see repaired walkways, sidewalks, trails; sometimes farther from the road, sometimes better markings. Maybe islands put in roads to help slow down traffic, so that it's safer for pedestrians in that area where there's a lot of pedestrians. Shreck says anyone can walk along on the audits. "They'll see how much it costs, what they can do, what they have the budgets for, and they'll all be looking at how much of those recommendations they can implement, and in how timely of a fashion." Audits have already been performed in several communities, including Big Rapids, Harbor Springs, and Clare. Upcoming audits are scheduled in Saginaw and Flint. A complete list of audit locations can be found here.
FLINT -- A major construction project on I-475 is wrapping up a full three months early.
The Michigan Department of Transportation made the announcement Tuesday.
The $18 million project included pavement repairs, rebuilding portions of the freeway and on-ramps, and the reconstruction of several bridges.
Single lane closures remain in effect in both directions as crews finish clean-up work.
The project was funded through the stimulus act approved by congress last year.
The Mackinac Bridge has been named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. To date, over 200 projects worldwide have earned this prominent designation.
According to Bob Sweeney, the span's executive secretary, the Mackinac Bridge was truly revolutionary when it opened in 1957.
"The Mackinac Bridge really represented at the time a new level of aerodynamic stability," said Sweeney.
Sweeney says suspension bridges really weren't trusted at the time, following the failure of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington state in 1940.
"When the bridge was built," explained Sweeney, "there was a moratorium on suspension bridges because of the Tacoma Narrows failure in the 1940s. And it was believed that suspension bridges in windy locations just weren't stable."
But the Mighty Mac was designed differently.
"Dr. Simon designed the Mackinac Bridge to virtually be aerodynamic. Virtually an unlimited amount of wind can cross the Mackinac Bridge without creating any stability problems," he said.
Sweeney said the Mighty Mac's designation as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark recognizes the revolutionary role the span played in modern bridge building.
Bridge and state transportation officials will celebrate the Mac's new designation at a ceremony Thursday, August 12 at 11:00 a.m., in St. Ignace's Bridge View Park. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
From wire services
General Motors Co. is recalling 1.5 million 2007-2009 model cars, trucks and crossovers to disable a heated washer fluid system module that could pose a fire risk. Because the feature will be disabled, GM will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle.
There are no known injuries or crashes related to the condition.
"While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," said Jeff Boyer, executive director of Safety. "We always want to make sure customers can count on the safety and quality of their GM vehicle."
Dealership service personnel will remove the heated washer fluid module and reroute washer fluid hoses. Customers will begin receiving recall letters this month, but they can contact their dealer at any time to make an appointment to have the heated washer system removed.
"This was a unique technology available from only one supplier, and that supplier has stopped manufacturing, which left no opportunity to collaborate on an improved design," Boyer said. "We want to be clear that the voluntary payment to customers is for the loss of the feature, not the recall."
Models included in the recall are the 2006-2009 model year Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; 2008-2009 model year Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; 2007-2009 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL; Saturn Outlook; and 2009 model year Chevrolet Traverse.
Most of the vehicles, 1,365,070, are in the United States; there are 98,794 affected vehicles in Canada; 26,228 in Mexico, and 38,093 exports.
The heated washer fluid system was recalled in August 2008 because a short circuit on the printed circuit board could overheat the control-circuit ground wire. Dealers at the time installed an in-line fuse in the heated washer module wiring.
The government closed its initial investigation after the 2008 recall. GM continued to monitor the performance of the heated washer fluid module in the field and continued communications with NHTSA. In June 2009, a new and second failure mode was identified by GM with the first confirmed report consisting of smoke only. Since then, GM has been made aware of five fires.
A public memorial service is planned for this Friday at 1 p.m. in St. Ignace's Bridge View Park, to honor Lawrence A. Rubin, one of the fathers of the Mackinac Bridge.
Rubin was the first employee of the Mackinac Bridge, serving as head of the bridge authority from 1950 until his retirement in 1983.
He also served as the secretary-treasurer of the International Bridge Authority in Sault Ste. Marie, and played a key role in developing Michigan's first highway law in 1951.
After retiring, Rubin penned two histories of the Mackinac Bridge. He would often sign those books at the end of the annual Labor Day bridge walk, donating the proceeds to local charities.
Rubin passed away last month following a brief illness. He was 97.
Traffic restrictions are being lifted in construction zones across the state today, just in time for the Memorial Day holiday.
Lane restrictions will be lifted in 121 construction zones beginning at 3 this afternoon, in anticipation of the 1.1 million motorists who are expected to travel this weekend.
But another 62 projects will still have some restrictions in place, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Below is a list of traffic restrictions that will remain in place this weekend.
Upper Peninsula
- I-75 southbound bridges over Mackinac Trail and the Carp River, Mackinac County, will have one lane open.
- M-28 at the Presque Isle Bridge, Gogebic County, will have one lane of alternating traffic controlled by a temporary signal.
- M-129 between M-80 and 10 Mile Road, Chippewa County, will be closed to through-traffic. The Charlotte River Bridge is closed with traffic detoured on M-80, Gaines Highway, I-75 and M-28.
- US-2 in Crystal Falls, Iron County, will have traffic controlled by a temporary signal.
- US-2 in Rapid River, Delta County, will have one lane open in each direction at the US-41 intersection.
- US-41 in Marquette, Marquette County, will have one lane open in each direction, with Front Street closed. Access to downtown Marquette will be maintained on Grove Street.
- US-41 in Menominee, Menominee County, will have through-traffic detoured on 30th Avenue and 13th Street.
Northern Lower Peninsula - M-32 Business Spur in the village of Hillman, Montmorency County, will have a lane shift with a temporary bridge.
- US-10 from US-131 to the Lake County line, Osceola County, will have shoulder closures.
- US-23 will have a lane shift from French Road to Hamilton Road, Alpena County.
West Michigan - I-196 between US-131 and Fuller Avenue in Grand Rapids, Kent County, will be reduced to one lane in each direction to College Avenue. Eastbound I-196 is closed between College and Fuller. Westbound I-196 is closed between College and Ottawa avenues. Coit Avenue over I-196 will be reduced to one southbound lane. Eastern Avenue over I-196 is closed. The following ramps will be closed: northbound US-131 to eastbound I-196; Michigan Street to eastbound I-196; College Avenue to westbound I-196 and eastbound I-196; and Fuller Avenue to westbound I-196.
- M-21 over the Flat River in downtown Lowell, Kent County, will be reduced to one eastbound lane. Westbound M-21 is closed and detoured on local streets.
- M-21 between M-66 and Lovell Street in the city of Ionia, Ionia County, will be closed with a posted detour.
- US-31 Business Route (BR) over the south branch of the Muskegon River (known locally as "The Spider Web") in the city of Muskegon, Muskegon County. Northbound US-31 BR (outbound traffic) is closed to US-31, with two lanes remaining open to M-120.
Southwest Michigan - I-94 at Westnedge Avenue in Kalamazoo/Portage, Kalamazoo County, will have two lanes maintained in each direction. The following ramps are closed: westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue; eastbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue; eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue; northbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94; and southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94.
- I-94 Business Loop through downtown Benton Harbor, Berrien County, will be reduced to one eastbound lane with westbound traffic detoured.
- I-196 over the Paw Paw River at Mile Marker 3, Berrien County, will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
- M-40 through downtown Paw Paw, Van Buren County, will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
- M-96 bridge over the Kalamazoo River mill race in Augusta, Kalamazoo County, will have one lane open and traffic will be regulated with traffic signals.
- M-222 at Eastern Avenue in Allegan, Allegan County, will be open with traffic maintained using a traffic shift. There is a truck detour in place that will extend through the holiday.
Central Michigan and Thumb - I-69 from M-15 to M-24 in Genesee and Lapeer counties will have eastbound and westbound traffic shifted onto eastbound lanes with one lane open in each direction.
- I-75 from Hotchkiss Road south to Crane Road in Saginaw and Bay counties will have three lanes maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-475 southbound lanes in Genesee County will remain open through the holiday weekend. Northbound I-475 will have one lane open from Atherton Road north to I-69.
- I-675 northbound lanes in Saginaw County will remain closed from Exit 2 to Tittabawassee Road. Tittabawassee Road north to the north junction with I-75 will be open.
- M-13 over the Kawkawlin River in Bay County will have one lane maintained in each direction over the bridge.
- M-13 at M-46 in Saginaw County will remain closed with a detour posted.
- M-83 at Dead Creek in between Curtis and Townline roads (just south of Bronner's) in Frankenmuth, Saginaw County, will have one lane alternating in each direction with traffic maintained using temporary traffic signals.
- M-84/I-75 in Bay County will remain closed with a detour posted.
Southern Mid-Michigan - The Northfield Church Rest Area on southbound US-23, just north of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, is closed for reconstruction.
- The ramp from N. Territorial Road to southbound US-23 near Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, is closed with a detour posted.
- The ramp from Geddes Road to southbound US-23 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, is closed with a detour posted. Also on Geddes Road over US-23, there is one lane maintained eastbound with westbound traffic detoured.
- I-75 near Monroe, Monroe County, has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-94 at Dettman Road near Jackson, Jackson County. Dettman Road is closed with a detour posted.
- I-94 from Sargent Road to the Jackson/Washtenaw county line has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction with a traffic shift.
- I-96 from M-100 to M-43 in Clinton and Eaton counties has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction via median crossovers.
- I-96 from US-127 to Meridian Road in Ingham County has two lanes of traffic maintained in each direction via median crossovers.
- M-43 near Park Lake Road in Meridian Township, Ingham County, has one lane open in each direction with a traffic shift.
- M-52 is closed just south of M-21 in Owosso, Shiawassee County, with a detour posted.
- M-99/M-50 in downtown Eaton Rapids, Eaton County, will have one lane open northbound; southbound traffic detoured.
- Old US-27 over I-69 and the Looking Glass River near DeWitt, Clinton County, has single-lane closures in each direction.
Metro Detroit Region
City of Detroit - The left lane of northbound I-75 is closed over the Rouge River.
- Eastbound and westbound I-96 single-lane closures between Livernois and Davison avenues.
- Northbound and southbound M-1 (Woodward Avenue) are reduced to a single lane each between Tuxedo and Chandler streets.
- Eastbound and westbound M-8 (Davison Avenue) have a single-lane closure between M-10 (Lodge Freeway) and I-96.
- Westbound M-8 (Davison Freeway) is closed from Conant Avenue to I-75, while eastbound M-8 has a single lane open from I-75 to Conant Avenue for reconstruction. Westbound motorists are detoured north on Conant Avenue to westbound McNichols Road, then southbound I-75 back to westbound M-8.
- Northbound and southbound M-85 (Fort Street) are closed to through-traffic between Oakwood Boulevard and Schaefer Highway.
- The right lanes of northbound and southbound M-85 (Fort Street) are closed at Springwells Avenue.
- Eastbound and westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) each have the two right lanes closed between Livernois Avenue and Clark Street.
Oakland County - Northbound and southbound I-75 have two lanes open each at Nine Mile Road for ongoing reconstruction.
- I-96 has three lanes open in each direction, with a traffic shift and reduced speeds, between Novi and Beck roads. In addition, the ramp from northbound M-5 to westbound I-96 is closed.
- Eastbound and westbound M-59 have two lanes open each via a traffic shift, between Crooks and Ryan roads.
- The M-102 (Eight Mile Road) ramp to northbound M-10 is closed.
- Northbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) has two lanes open from 12 Mile to Maple roads, while southbound US-24 has two lanes open from Long Lake to Maple roads.
- Northbound and southbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) have two lanes open each, between Square Lake and Orchard Lake roads.
- Northbound and southbound US-24 (Telegraph Road) have two lanes open each, between M-102 and I-696.
St. Clair County - Eastbound and westbound I-94 have a single lane open each via a traffic shift, between Allington Road and St. Clair Highway. The eastbound I-94 exit to Fred Moore Highway is closed.
Macomb County - The two-lane ramps at the I-94/I-696 interchange are reduced to a single lane.
Wayne County - The ramp from Ecorse Road to eastbound and westbound I-94 is closed.
- The northbound I-275 ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed.
- Northbound and southbound I-275 have a single lane open each, between Will Carleton Road and I-94.
- Northbound and southbound M-39 (Southfield Road) have two lanes open between I-75 and I-94.
- Eastbound and westbound US-12 (Michigan Avenue) have a single lane open each, between Brady Street and Outer Drive.
The man known as the father of the Mackinac Bridge, Lawrence A. Rubin, has died.
Rubin served as the bridge's first Executive Secretary, and later documented the history of the Mighty Mac in print.
He was appointed Executive Secretary of the bridge in 1950 -- seven years before the span opened to traffic. He would hold that position for 33 years, until 1983.
Rubin played an instrumental role in financing the bridge's construction, by recruiting investors to buy bonds, said Bob Sweeney, the current executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge.
Later, he served as a promoter of northern Michigan, drawing tourists to the area through events such as the Labor Day Bridge Walk.
Sweeney said Rubin participated in the annual event until last year.
"Last year, his son pushed him on a wheelchair across the bridge. He would sign his books at the end, and it raises funds for a local charity," said Sweeney.
Rubin penned two books about the bridge in retirement, and was involved with several area charities, as well as the local hospital and library.
"He was a very humble man, very intelligent man," said Sweeney. "And he never stuck himself above the bridge, or, I think, any project he was working on. It was always the project or the organization itself that came first."
He passed away in St. Ignace Tuesday morning, following a brief illness. He was 97.
A public memorial service for Rubin is being planned for sometime after Memorial day. Details are still being finalized.
Photo: Lawrence A. Rubin, first Executive Secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, during an event commemorating the bridge's 50th anniversary. Photo courtesy the Mackinac Bridge Authority.
Michigan's enhanced ID cards eliminate the need to carry multiple forms of identification when traveling by land or sea. Technology on the cards also helps speed border crossings by identifying bearers as US citizens.
Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, says demand is especially high among people traveling to Canada.
"So many of our residents travel to and from Canada to do business or play. So it makes very good sense for the people in Detroit, and Port Huron, and especially in the Sault area, that go back and forth. So we're seeing a lot of people get the enhanced driver's license."
Chesney says the cards are convenient for travelers - and they help border security, too.
"You just hold up your enhanced driver's license when you're approaching an American border station, and the technology speeds you through. There's no personal information that's transmitted. It just lets the border personnel know that you are an American citizen, and eligible to cross the border. It actually bolsters our security at the border."
The enhanced cards are not required, but they are an acceptable form of identification for travelers visiting Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean by land or sea.
In the last year, Chesney says the state has received more than 170,000 applications for the cards, which are available only to Michigan residents who are US citizens.
BY LAURA WEBER Michigan Public Radio NetworkMichigan roads are seldom referred to in glowing terms, and the survey of truck drivers is no exception. The survey ranked Michigan second only to Pennsylvania for the bad condition of roads. Mike Nystrom is with Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. He says poor state funding has caused 38 counties to turn some paved roads back to gravel. "That is a regressive situation. We are going backwards as a state by doing that." Nystrom says neighboring states such as Indiana continue to improve their roads, which could cause Michigan to lose prospective business. He says the Legislature should approve a new gas tax at a few pennies a gallon to help pay for maintenance of the roads. But lawmakers have been debating a gas tax for several months and have failed to find enough support to approve the increase.
© Copyright 2010,MPRN.
As the Soo Locks reopen for the season this weekend, Great Lakes shippers are hoping for a better season than in 2009.
The recession hit the shipping industry hard in 2009.
Total shipments were down nearly 35 percent compared to 2008, and some commodities shipped at their lowest levels since 1938.
According to Glen Nekvasil, Vice President of Communications for the Lake Carriers' Association, a Great Lakes shipping trade group, his industry will only rebound when other industries ramp up production.
"Ships do not generate demand for cargo, they meet demand," said Nekvasil. "So when the steel mills are running full out, the fleet's running full out. And if the steel mills are operating at 40 percent of capacity, like they were a year ago, not too many ships were operating."
There are some bright spots this year, including the Soo Locks opening 4 days early because of increased demand.
But Nekvasil said the fleet is still expecting a slow year, as the country continues to struggle with tough economic conditions.
"What we need is for, number one, the American steel industry to get its operating rates back up to, you know, 95 percent or so," said Nekvasil. "That's where it has been until this slump. And then the construction industry needs to get revved up."
Nekvasil said there has been a slight increase in demand for iron ore this year, but he is unsure if demand will keep up as the shipping season progresses.
BY RICK PLUTA
Track improvements in Indiana and Illinois are expected to cut the travel time between Detroit and Chicago. But Michigan's share -- $40 million dollars - will only go toward improving and constructing buildings, and will generate relatively few jobs.
"This is economic stimulus? You gotta be kidding me."
Michigan Congresswoman Candace Miller says the state with the nation's highest unemployment rate should have gotten more when some states got hundreds of millions of dollars.
"I'm not asking for all of it. I'm just saying, couldn't we at least have parity with some of these states like California and Florida. Certainly, we deserve that."
President Obama's home state of Illinois was also a big winner.
Governor Granholm says Michigan will benefit from faster speeds and reduced congestion on the Detroit-to-Chicago line, and she will be seeking more money for Michigan in the future.
Nearly a third of Michigan roadways were in poor condition in 2008, according to a statewide transportation report released this week. The report evaluated federal-aid eligible roads, which consist of most major thoroughfares in Michigan.
Keith Ledbetter, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, said some of the worst roads are in the northern part of the state. He says some of the worst roads are in the northern part of the state. "Eight of the top 10 counties in the state, in terms of percentage of poor roads, was in northern Michigan or the UP," said Ledbetter. Overall, 32 percent of federal aid eligible roads were in poor condition last year. That's up from 25 percent of roads in 2007. According to Ledbetter, the picture gets even worse when local roads are factored in. "Local roads are doing far worse than even on the federal aid system," he said. "And so, when we say that a community, for example, has 100 miles of bad road on the federal aid system, it probably means they have closer to 200 miles of bad roads." Some of the state's worst roads are in Genesee County, where more than 1,200 miles of roads are in poor condition. Within Genesee County, Flint has 165 miles of roadway in poor condition. Mt. Morris Township has 114 miles of poor quality roads.
Some of the state's best roads are in northwest Michigan's Antrim County, where only 5 percent of roads are in poor condition.
The Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association estimates it would take $7.2 billion to bring all of the state's poor or fair quality roads up to good condition.
Is it a bike? Is it a taxi? Is it a billboard? Is it a trailer? Whatever it is, it appears Petoskey Pedicab will be allowed to ride the streets again next summer.. and advertise, too.. despite the past few months of controversy.
The 2 Petoskey pedicabs and their drivers became part of the fabric of Petoskey for many business owners and residents this summer:
"we support the Petoskey pedicab. we have our adverstiements on the baack...we pass out their business cards"
A green pedal-powered politically correct way to get around - with the added attrtaction of two cute guys behind the handlebars!
"I think it's a good idea.. 'm glad they did it"
Some people call the pedicabs goodwill ambassadors for the city of Petoskey, saying they add a nice character to the town.
Calvin Schemanski and his friend Josh Lycka - both raised in Petoskey- .came up with the idea for Petoskey Pedicab when they were working at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club Kitchen last year:
"it was kind of a slower day.it was something we started talking about jokingly.. .Then we talked a little longer and decided it could actually be done, and then we went for it"..
The 19 year olds who attend college now in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor developed a business plan to take people on short trips through Petoskey's gaslight district in the summer months. Putting signs on the back of the bike's carriage to advertise other businesses was part of the idca from the get-go.
They say they mentioned to the city planner what all that was about .. she didn't think it was something people would like
Suddenly . Shcmasnki says they hit a bureaucratic snag: He says they found that the sign ordinance didn't talk about pedicabs; made no mention of non-motorized vehicles. He says they wanted to play it safe so they filled out the necessary permits and submitted it to the sign committee.
Schemanski says all this was being done in the spring while they were still in school.. they appealed to the sign committee and lost on a 3 to 5 vote... at that point, they were not issued a permitd. The two decided to test the waters on the project.
Te 2 old fashioned looking bikes with black carriages for 2 passengers each.. complete with advertisements on the back..took their first official rides May 15th, 2009 . Offering downtown rides for tips only.. five dollar to 15 dollar rides from bay view to downtown.. and 12 dollar scenic tours.. . City Planner Amy Tweeten took action. july 1st and slapped Schemanski's partner with a ticket for prohibiting the sign ordinance
The Pedicab owner say the real financial problem came from the restriction in advertising, so Schemanski and Lyka obtained an attorney and fought the citation. They claimed that the only difference was the fact that we didn't have a motor.. they say that seemed silly. They didn't think the arguement would legally would stand up at all.
On august 5th.. 90th district judge Richard May dismissed the ticket.
Schemanski says he and Lyka had cheering sections and there was a round of applause
But the Petoskey pedicab dispute ruffled feathers.. and caused some folks to take sides:.. Bottom line: noone seems to want Little Traverse Bay, the sky above it, and the streets of Petoskey's Gaslight District filled with moving billboards. and many most seem to want to make sure the city's ordinances protect Petoskey from that scenario: Also : recent pedicab-related deaths and injuires in seattle, san deigo and new york have raised other concerns,,
Petoskey mayor Ted Pall says simply the city needs a pedicab ordinance.
He argues that there is a point where, without a dramatic change in people's driving habits, there IS a limit on what is safe. He says that's where his interest is. He says the city might have to limit the pedicabs from a safety standpoint.
The Mayor says it's time to be specific. He says although the pedicabs may not have been a problem this past summer, the city needs to protect itself going forward.
BY MARY ELLEN GEIST
The sound of a ferry horn is causing a controversy in Charlevoix County:
It begins at 6:30 in the morning when the 50 foot long... 30 foot
wide.steel barge called the Ironton Ferry takes it's first
passengers .. across the south arm of Lake Charlevoix. It's a 610
foot trip many people who live in the Boyne City, East Jordan,
Ironton and Charlevoix area take .. aboard the 43 ton barge every
single day.
The horn blowing finally ends at 10:30 at night.
"and it's such a shame because this is such a nice area..."
Ferry Operators like Helen Dillon .. who's been doing this for 20
years.. say they feel sorry for nearby neighbors:
..and it's really very unnecessary.. even though it's a rule. I understand
that.. it's just we don't have that much traffic especially at this time.a year.
and in the summer, when we do have a lot of boat
traffic..we do blow the horn or if there's fog.. but other than
that.. I realize too that's a rule.. but.. the coast guard.. all I
can say is.. .. I hope it's resolved. "
Ferry Operators sound what's estimated to be a 115 decibel horn
every seven to ten minutes - and it's quite loud, especially when
you're on board - every time a ferry departs:
The ferry has been operating.. with no accidents.. for more than 82
years. Until recently, operators only sounded the horn when it was
necessary.. . all that changed when a complaint that the horn wasn't
being sounded on a regular basis came in last month.. that's when
Charlevoix county sheriff Don Schnieder got involved:
"the federal law.. rule number 34 paren g..ok states in general
terms.. anytime a vessel departing a dockc or mooring shall sound
their horn from 4 to 6 seconds..well, this wasn't being done with
the ferry.. and consquently the complaint came thru.. they started
doing it which generated a tremendous amount of citizens
complaints.. .. a business owner.. right beside the ferry west side
of the ferry.. obviously he was very upset..
Sheriff Schnieder says residents and business owners reacted
immediately after the horn started sounding on every single trip :
"you can't even carry on a conversation"
This man who lives 100 yards away from the ferry says it's a
constant disturbance:
"the ferry itself doesn'tmake a lot of noise. it doesn't cause a problem..
we have some friends of ours..live probably across the way and down at least a mile
and they can hear it over there.."
Sheriff Schnieder says he has received 33 written complaints about
the horn. A large group of residents turned out at a recent county
board of commissioners meeting to make it clear they want the horn to
be used only when needed:.. instead of approximately 150 times a
day. Sheriff Schneider has applied for a waiver:
"it's called a certificate of alternate complaiance..it's an
application .requesting that rule 34 paren g . be waived in regards to
the Ironton Ferry"
Congressman Bart Stupak's office is now involved. But the Commanding
officer of the coast guard sector field office in Grand Haven, Robert
Hemp, who's been researching the Ironton Ferry horn dispute most of
the summer, tells CMU "I believe a complete waiver does not appear
likely." The coast guard district office in Cleveland is expected to
make a final decision in the next couple of weeks..
BY MARY FINN
M-115 in Clare County has been named as one of America's ten best transportation projects.
The five and a half mile stretch of road won the award after $4.5 million worth of repairs were made.
The M-115 project was named in the innovative management category. It's the first in the state to be chosen for any award like this.
Anita Richardson from the Michigan Department of Transportation said she is impressed with the nomination.
"Given especially the state of the economy and the overall challenge for transportation funding that there are innovative solutions to transportation problems and that MDOT's Bay Region has embraced has embraced one of those solutions"
Fans of M-115 can also vote online for the People's Choice Award through October 23rd.
For CMU Public Radio News, I'm Mary Finn.
BY LAURA WEBER Michigan Public Radio NetworkConservative business groups are putting pressure on Republican lawmakers to fund repairs to the state's aging bridges and roads through a gas tax increase. The proposed tax hike would be spread out over five years and could generate as much as $1.8 billion in revenue. The conservative groups who support the proposal say they understand GOP leaders shy away from any form of tax hike. But, they say, Republicans have had a history of supporting gas tax hikes as user fees. "It's not like you do this every year," said Former state Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema. "It's not like you want to do this or you necessarily like doing this. You do it when the need is well documented that you have to do it for the future of the state." Sikkema also points out President Ronald Regan passed a federal gas tax hike during a recession in 1983. Lawmakers who support the tax hope to get it approved before the end of the year. © Copyright 2009, MPRN
BY DAVID NICHOLAS
News Director, CMU Public Radio
Federal stimulus dollars are coming to Michigan to provide funding for rural transportation.
Several counties will be purchasing new busses. Clare County Transit will use over $2.5 million to build a new facility.
Tom Pirnstill is the Executive Director. He says growth in the usage of their transit system has led to "growing out of their current space."
They started out fifteen years ago with ten busses - they are now operating thirty two vehicles. They are limited in space because of fencing and surrounding roads.
"So there's no room for growth and, uh, we can only fit about twenty busses in our present facility," said Pirnstill. "This will give us the ability to, uh...the maintenance level of the busses will be a lot higher be...they won't have to be outside all winter. Uh, we don't have to spend the time warming them up, uh, you know, thirty minutes at a time during the winter months so we're going to cut a lot of savings in the fuel."
The county's population is thirty thousand and they provided 173,000 rides last year. The increased rider ship, says Pirnstill, is a reflection of the economic struggles in Michigan.
"People are still mindful of the price of gas which is, which is going up again," he said. "And the people who have not used transit - are using it for the first time, they find, they find that they can save a lot of money."
Pirnstill says money was being raised over the last several years toward this project. Now that federal monies will cover the entire cost, those funds will be reallocated toward on-going operations.
Wexford County was awarded $1.7 million for facility construction.
Arenac, Bay, Charlevoix, Mecosta, Midland, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Saginaw and Shiawassee Counties are all receiving money toward the purchase of new busses.
US-131 will close in both directions this September in Wexford County, so construction crews can replace an aging bridge over the Manistee River.
Detours will be required, said Bob Felt, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation.
"In order to do this project in a construction season," said Felt, "we do have to detour the traffic and that will be a concern for some of the local people for emergency response and whatnot."
A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 28 to introduce the public to the project. It will take place from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the VFW Hall in Manton.
According to Felt, MDOT has already been meeting with local officials to prepare them for the closure.
"We've had meetings prior to this week with the EMS folks and some of the local officials and we're doing everything we can to make sure they understand exactly how the project will be staged and what they need to do to get to the people they need to get to."
The project's cost is estimated at $3 million, and it is being funded at least in part by federal stimulus dollars.
Thursday's meeting is open to local officials, business owners and the general public. The Manton VFW Hall is located at 407 State Street in Manton.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is removing lane restrictions on 97 of 142 projects statewide over Memorial Day weekend. Work will be suspended beginning at 3:00 p.m. Friday wherever possible. Construction will not resume until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Some work zones will remain active over the weekend, and in some cases, detours will be necessary. A list of some of the active work zones is posted below. Central Michigan and Thumb
- M-25 (Center Avenue) from Johnson Street to Livingston Avenue in
Bay City, Bay County, will have eastbound and westbound truck traffic
rerouted via M-84, Kosciuszko Avenue, and Pine Road. Eastbound and
westbound car traffic will be rerouted via M-84, Kosciuszko Avenue and
Scheurmann Road.
- M-21 over I-75, Genesee County, will remain closed with traffic detoured. All lanes on I-75 beneath M-21 are open to traffic.
- The I-69 Swartz Creek Rest Area, Genesee County, will remain closed. All lanes on I-69 will be open to traffic.
- US-127 BR (Mission Street), south end of the city of Clare at
Industrial Drive, Isabella County: a detour remains in effect for the
south Clare ramps to and from US-127 with Old Mission Road local
traffic maintained using a temporary signal.
Northern Lower Peninsula
- M-115, Clare County line to M-61, Osceola County, will have temporary traffic signals at two locations.
- M-115, M-66 to M-61, Osceola County, will have a detour in effect.
- US-131 Business Route (BR)/Mitchell Street, downtown Cadillac,
Wexford County, a single lane in each direction will remain open
between Granite and Cass streets.
- M-22 bridge over Glen Lake (narrows) in Leelanau County has a detour in place.
- I-75 Business Loop (BL), M-72 east (Huron Street) to M-72
west/M-93, Grayling, Crawford County: Northbound I-75 BL traffic will
be detoured onto local streets. One lane of southbound traffic is
maintained on the I-75 BL.
- US-23 in Cheboygan, Cheboygan County, will be open to traffic
during the holiday weekend, while M-27 will remain closed and detoured
from Lincoln Street to the US-23 south intersection
Upper Peninsula- US-2 in Iron Mountain, Dickinson County, will have lane reductions and a traffic shift.
- M-94 north of Manistique, Schoolcraft County, will have a temporary traffic signal at the Indian River bridge.
- US-41/Shelden Avenue in downtown Houghton, Houghton County, will be closed to through-traffic. Northbound US-41 traffic will be detoured to Montezuma Avenue. Southbound US-41 traffic will be detoured on M-26, Sharon Avenue, and MacInnes Drive.
- US-2 Cut River Bridge, Mackinac County, will remain closed with traffic detoured on Cut River Road and Prater Boulevard.
West Michigan- M-104 at 144th Avenue, Ottawa County, will have a traffic shift in effect for eastbound and westbound traffic on M-104; 144th Avenue is closed with a posted detour.
- US-31 at Tyler Road, Muskegon County, will be reduced to one lane, with traffic control via temporary signal.
- US-131 at 44th Street, Kent County, will have two lanes open on northbound and southbound lanes. The southbound US-131 exit ramp (Exit 79) at 44th Street is closed. Detour: exit at 36th Street (Exit 80) to Burlingame or Division Avenues to 44th Street. The northbound US-131 entrance ramp from 44th Street is closed. Detour: 44th Street to Division or Burlingame Avenues to the US-131 interchange at 36th Street. There will be no work on 44th Street during the holiday weekend.
- I-196 Zeeland Rest Area, Ottawa County, is closed but will reopen to motorists by 3 p.m. Friday, May 22, without restrictions.
- I-196 Baldwin Interchange, Kent County, will have a traffic shift in effect with two lanes open westbound and one lane open eastbound.
- I-196 between Kenowa and M-11 (28th Street), Kent County, will be reduced to two lanes westbound with one lane open eastbound.
The following ramps will be closed: - ramp from westbound Chicago Drive to westbound I-196
- ramp from eastbound Chicago Drive to eastbound I-196
- ramp from eastbound 44th Street to eastbound I-196
- M-91 in Greenville, Montcalm County, will have a traffic shift in place on M-91 from Van Deinse Road to Wise Road. Northbound and southbound M-91 will be reduced to one lane each. Width restriction: nothing over 10 feet.
Emergency beacons are a must have for mariners and aviators - but some older ones will stop working at the end of this month.
On February 1, 2009, the Coast Guard will stop receiving distress signals from analog emergency beacons.
The older emergency locators, which broadcast at 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz, are being replaced by digital ones broadcasting at 406 MHz.
According to Jerry Popiel, Acting Chief of the Ninth Coast Guard District's Incident Management Branch, manufacturers have not been allowed to sell analog beacons for a number of years.
"So this is the end of the grace period," he said. "You haven't been able to buy one. You can now no longer use one, because we not be able to hear you if you use one."
The new digital beacons are 50 times more powerful than their analog counterparts.
They also are more precise - directing rescuers to smaller search areas than in the past.
The authority that oversees the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge has proposed raising tolls to offset a decline in revenues caused by a drop in traffic between the U.S and Canada.
Phil Becker, General Manager of the International Bridge, says most of the bridge's revenue comes from tolls. Which makes declining traffic on the bridge a major problem.
"Traffic is about half of what it was about 15 years ago," said Becker. "In the early to mid 90s, traffic crossings peaked at about 3.6 million. This year, we hope to see about 1.9 million."
Annual toll revenues currently average $6 million per year. $4.3 million a year is spent on normal maintenance and operations. That leaves little to work with for larger projects, that are needed to ensure the long-term stability of the bridge.
Proposed toll increases (in U.S. dollars) include:
- Passenger vehicle tolls would increase from the current $2 per trip to $2.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $3 on April 1, 2010.
- Frequent user tolls (Prox card users) would increase from the current $1.40 per trip to $1.80 on April 1, 2009, and to $2.10 on April 1, 2010 (30 percent discount).
- Pulled trailers tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $1 to $1.25 on April 1, 2009, and to $1.50 on April 1, 2010.
- Recreational vehicle tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $2 to $2.40 on April 1, 2009, and to $2.75 on April 1, 2010.
- Bus tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $3 to $3.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $4 on April 1, 2010.
- Commercial vehicle tolls, per axle, would increase from the current $3 to $3.50 on April 1, 2009, and to $4 on April 1, 201
Several public hearings have been scheduled to gather feedback about the toll increase. They include:
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: Tuesday, December 2, 7 p.m. at Holiday Inn, 208 St. Mary's River Drive, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
- Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.: Wednesday, December 3, 7 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza Hotel - Ojibway, 240 W. Portage Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich
- Lansing, Mich.: Thursday, December 4, 3 p.m. at the Lansing Transportation Service Center, 3101 Technology Blvd., Lansing
Flint was ranked fourth and Saginaw eighth when it came to total miles of roads in poor condition.
The analysis by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA) covered some 37-thousand miles of roads that are eligible for federal-aid, yet fall under local control.
Mike Nystrom, Vice President of Government and Public Relations for MITA, said the most miles of bad roads are in urban areas.
"We found that the major populated area obviously had more miles of roads, so they ended up having the most miles of system in poor condition."
Poor road conditions are also common in rural areas.
"In Northern Michigan, for example," said Nystrom, "We found that even though they had fewer lane-miles, they had a higher percentage of their roads in poor condition."
Michigan currently spends $3.5 billion annually on transportation costs, including maintenance and administration.
Nystrom said that amount needs to increase by at least $3 billion a year to begin to address the problem.
"By investing in our infrastructure at a greater level," he said, "We'll have an opportunity to put the foundation in place to attract good job providers back to Michigan. We will make sure that public safety again becomes a high priority."
Cities with the worst roads in Michigan 1. Detroit 2. Ann Arbor 3. Grand Rapids 4. Flint 5. Lansing 6. Southfield 7. Burton 8. Saginaw 9. Mt. Morris Twp. 10. Dearborn
Gas prices have fallen by 22 cents over the past week, to a statewide average of $2.85 per gallon.
That's according to AAA Michigan, which surveys 2,800 gas stations across the state daily.
Gas is cheapest in the Saginaw - Bay City area, where average prices have fallen by 30 cents over the last week, to an average of $2.81 per gallon.
The most expensive gas is in Marquette, where motorists are still paying over three-dollars per gallon. Sault Ste. Marie, Grayling and Gaylord also reported prices above the statewide average.
|
|
|
|
|
|
