Cars and trucks travel I-69 in Mussey Township on Monday. Reconstruction of the interstate, stretching from east of Capac to Emmett, is due to begin in 2021.
MDOT has plans for M-53 and I-69 projects in coming years
TRI-CITY AREA — In recent weeks, state transportation officials have updated their plans for road and bridge projects across the region, including some major ones that will impact local motorists in the coming years.
In July, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) released their State Transportation Improvement Program draft for 2020-2023 and last week their updated Five-Year Transportation Program for 2020-2024 was made available to the public. Locally, the list includes mostly resurfacing and reconstruction work on major thoroughfares.
Here’s what’s planned:
•a rebuild of the Five Lakes Road rest area on eastbound I-69 in Attica Twp. in 2020 by MDOT using more than $3.4 million in federal funds plus some $772,000 in state dollars
•MDOT anticipates they’ll reconstruct I-69 from the Cox-Doty Drain in Mussey Township east to M-19 in 2021 and then continue that work further east to Taylor Road in 2023
•a traffic safety project at M-53 and Dryden Road in Almont Twp. in 2021 that will include signal modernization and ‘dilemma zone technology.’ They anticipate using $234,000 in federal funds and $26,000 in state funds for the work.
•in 2022 plans are on to resurface Dryden Road between M-53 and the village of Dryden using a combination of federal, county and local road monies
•in 2023 MDOT hopes to improve M-53 from Bowers Road north to Deanville Road, a distance of more than 8 miles. The plans call for milling the existing surface followed by a two course hot-mix asphalt overlay using both federal and state funds.
•that same year, 2023, they plan to replace the bridge on M-53 over the Elk Lake Creek between Caldwell and Armstrong roads in Goodland Twp.
•in 2024, MDOT looks to reconstruct I-69 in Lapeer County between Lake George Road and M-24.
The state agency welcomes public comment on its State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) which can be viewed online at www.michigan.gov/STIP until August 15.
“The STIP is a federally required planning document listing the road, bridge and transit projects located in rural areas that the state plans to fund with federal aid,” MDOT said in a press release.
“In an effort to emphasize and strengthen partnering efforts with transportation stakeholders and the general public to maximize resources, the Michigan Department of Transportation is making the latest draft available for public review and comment.”
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In addition to the $5.4 billion for roads and bridge improvements, Michigan’s STIP also includes $1.7 billion for transit.
And, speaking of transit, MDOT’s Five-Year Transportation Program (www.Michigan.gov/MDOT5YearProgram) details the research being done to possibly create a bus route through St. Clair and Lapeer counties along the I-69 corridor.
“MDOT encourages regional transit initiatives that improve access to services for Michigan citizens. Technical and financial support is provided by MDOT to local agencies,” the plan notes.
“The Flint-area transit agency, the Mass Transportation Authority, continues to work with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Services (SMART) to coordinate services to meet transit needs that have been identified in the study that was done on the I-75 corridor between Bay City and Detroit, including the I-69 corridor from Port Huron to Lansing.”
Comments on the Five Year Transportation Program will be accepted until August 30 and can be submitted via email to MDOT-Five-Year-Program@Michigan.gov.
