Talking Michigan Transportation

A national effort, entitled the “Reimagining America’s Interstates” initiative, is collecting comments on new interstate facility suggestions, feedback on major upgrades needed on existing routes, and how the system can better meet the needs of the 21st century traveling public. 
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced this new initiative during a June 30 media event that also celebrated the 70th anniversary of the “Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways,” created when President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, along with the unveiling of “Freedom 250” highway signs in celebration of that anniversary. 
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), who participated in the event, talks about what the Interstate system has meant to the country and what could come out of the initiative. 
The initiative will spur renewed conversation about the benefits of the system as well as some unintended consequences and focus on ideas for improvement.

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich talks about the Fiscal Year 2027 budget agreement reached last week between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders.
The budget negotiations also produced an agreement to advance Senate Bill 71 to the governor’s desk.  The bill ensures that unauthorized individuals who illegally climb or breach restricted portions of the Mackinac Bridge will face enhanced penalties.
Wieferich also offers an update on the Rebuilding Michigan program with many projects completed but some major work ongoing across the state, including I-94 west of Detroit, another segment of I-475 in Genesee County, an extension of the US-23 Flex Route in Livingston County, I-96 in Ionia County and I-94 in Berrien County.

Just as crews began repairing sections of M-119, also known as The Tunnel of Trees, damaged by April flooding, heavy rains wreaked havoc on more sections of the popular tourist route in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula.
This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with State Sen. John Damoose (Harbor Springs), who represents the area, and Bill Wahl, acting North Region engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation. (MDOT).
MDOT is already investing $300,000 to stabilize the slope beneath a section of M-119 near West Stutsmanville Road, between Harbor Springs and Good Hart in Emmet County, damaged in the spring flooding. 
Now, engineers are assessing other sections of the roadway washed out by heavy rains on Monday, June 29, as well as sections of M-66 and M-88 in Antrim County. Wahl provides a status report on each of the washouts and short- and long-term planning for both.
Sen. Damoose talks about his conversations with business owners and other constituents affected by the road closures and the ongoing challenges to fund sustainable infrastructure in Michigan.

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Michael Townley, engineer of research at the Michigan Department of Transportation. (MDOT).
Townley explains the safety and economic benefits of partnering with Michigan universities on research and why it’s important to MDOT.
One specific project discussed examined the value of financing infrastructure improvements through bonding versus a program of pay-go improvements.

By now, you may have seen a photo taken high above the Detroit River of two iron workers, one from Canada and one from the United States, shaking hands to mark the completion of the deck on the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with those iron workers, Jason Huggett of Canada and Casey Whitson of Michigan.
 
 Both are second-generation iron workers. Jason’s father helped build the twin span of the Blue Water Bridge linking Port Huron, Michigan, with Sarnia, Ontario. Casey’s father worked on the Renaissance Center in Detroit as well as Joe Louis Arena.
 
 They talk about what working on this once-in-a-lifetime project means to both of them and how honored each of them was to participate in the handshake.
 
 They each spoke about it to the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority after the handshake:
 
 Said Huggett: “I said it was about time we got to shake hands after seeing each other from a distance for almost two years, it was really something special. That handshake means a lot to my family, my two sons and my father, who helped build the twin span for the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia.”  
 
 And Whitson: “We would see each other, but we were far, across the river, apart for all these months working. To actually get to be able to meet each other and shake hands and say hello is really cool. It’s the biggest moment in my career and I now share something with my father, who helped build the Renaissance Center in Detroit.”