Kalamazoo Times

A variety of major road repair projects are underway statewide, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The projects are part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D-Mich.) investment in roads and bridges. They will, directly and indirectly, support more than 655 jobs while repairing the state's infrastructure.

The repair projects will take place in Antrim, Arenac, Calhoun, Charlevoix, Houghton, and Saginaw counties. Projects include M-6 resurfacing in Antrim and Charlevoix Counties; northbound I-75 bridgework in Arenac County; Michigan Avenue resurfacing in Marshall; M-37 resurfacing in Battle Creek and Springfield; US-41 rebuilding in Houghton; and M-83 resurfacing near Birch Run.

“Across Michigan, we are fixing the damn roads to save motorists time and money,” Whitmer said in the press release. “Investments like these ... will help drivers can go to work, drop their kids off at school, or run errands safely.”

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing $279,000 in resurfacing one mile of I-94 Business Loop on Michigan Avenue, from Kalamazoo Avenue to Martello Road. There will be one lane open in each direction and the project is expected to be completed on July 31. It is intended to prove a safer and smoother driving surface.

The city of Houghton and MDOT are investing $9.6 million to rebuild 1.1 miles of US-41. This will, directly and indirectly, support 114 jobs. The focus is from Isle Royale Street to Pearl Street and includes widening College Avenue to add a center left-turn lane, storm sewer improvements, and city sanitary sewer and water main replacements. The project is expected to be finished on Sept. 16.

MDOT will invest $4 million to resurface 2.9 miles of M-37 from M-96 to Creekview Drive with cold milling and hot-mix asphalt resurfacing, concrete curbs and gutters, sidewalk ramps, and pavement markings. The work is estimated to be completed by Oct. 31.

$1.3 million is being invested by MDOT to resurface 3.7 miles of M-66 from north of Old State Road to south of M-32 in Antrim and Charlevoix counties. The project is expected to be finished on June 30.

$758,000 is being invested by MDOT to resurface 3.8 miles of M-83 from M-54 to Townline Road to extend the life of the roadway. This work has a completion date of June 2.

MDOT will create a detour of northbound I-75 to accommodate bridge beam removal at the Lincoln Road overpass. This is part of an overall $37-million investment project. It involves resurfacing 6.4 miles of US-23 from I-75 to Grove Street in Standish. It will include repairing 19 bridges and will, directly and indirectly, support 470 jobs. 

Funding for the projects comes from the Rebuilding Michigan Program, a bipartisan plan to invest approximately $5 billion in the state’s infrastructure as well as grow the economy, create jobs, and benefit families around the state, according to the press release. The plan calls for $645 million to be invested in Michigan’s infrastructure, including $317 million for roads and bridges.

“This year, Michiganders will see more orange barrels and cones than ever before as we move forward at record pace to fix roads and bridges across Michigan. Since I took office through the end of this year, we will fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and 900 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs — which is 70% more in our roads than the previous four years. And with both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the recent, bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, we will turbocharge our efforts to fix our roads with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, all without raising taxes by a cent. Today’s projects will improve ride quality, reduce congestion, and extend the service life of these critical roads.”