Wednesday's unveiling of awards from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Innovation Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program left Michigan with little to show for applications submitted by municipal governments throughout the state. Only two cities-Detroit and Port Huron-were awarded funds for their transportation projects, receiving $23 million and $30 million, respectively.
In early 2006, Wayne County, Washtenaw County, the Wayne County Airport authority, and several Southeast Michigan cities and townships agreed to collectively pursue the development of an airport city-an aerotropolis comprised of 60,000 acres around the Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports. In early November, legislation regarding the Detroit Region Aerotropolis initiative was referred for a second reading as a portion of the Next Michigan Act. Though the legislature adjourns sin die this month, the initiative will likely be an interesting item to follow when the state House of Representatives reconvenes.
The Michigan Daily reported on Friday that $7.5 million in federal funds has been allocated for a study regarding a high-speed rail corridor between Detroit and Lansing, with potential stops in Dearborn, at Detroit Metro Airport, and in Ann Arbor. This is the first significant development in a long time, as Michigan spent most of October entangled in an intense state budget battle, which has still not yet been settled, even with a budget signed by Governor Granholm.
CATA began providing bus service in 1972, and after an initial surge in ridership that peaked in 1980, CATA ridership remained relatively level for the next 19 years. Ridership exceeded the previous peak in 1999 and began increasing sharply in 2000. Each of the past eight years has marked a new record in the number of riders.
Transportation
Take me Home, Crumbling Roads
Written by Adam Barth
Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:07
Chances are, most Michigan drivers curse about the poor condition of the roads every time they drive to and from work, the grocery store, and perhaps even to another house in the neighborhood. It has become common to just accept the condition of the roads and remind each other that with the snow fall, and salting, our roads simply can not ever be in good condition. The sad truth of it is that without a major increase to the transportation budget, it will be difficult for the average Michigander to notice any difference in the quality of the roads. At some point, something is going to have to give. Either the deterioration of the roads will get to the point that the states economy suffers as it scares away business, and destroys cars or the Michigan government will have to find a new source of revenue to pay and fix the roads.
A problem found in Michigan, as well as most of the United States, is the declining infrastructure. The problem arises from the constantly increasing demand for transit; a problem growing faster than it can be solved. To account for this growth in transit, funds are being diverted from "maintenance" to "expansion", which leaves current roads, bridges, etc to fall to neglect. Michigan Report Card, a facet of ASCEMI, gives Michigan's Infrastructure a grade of D - certainly not something to be proud of . To fix Michigan's infrastructure, and ultimately revive the economy, it is important to revive the aspects of infrastructure that are lacking.
On Monday, the state began a reconstruction project on a segment of I-196 in northeast Grand Rapids. MDOT has indicated that the project will leave the Gerald R. Ford Freeway closed to traffic from College Ave. to Fuller Ave. until September of this year. The corridor will undergo widening and reconstruction during that time, and all lanes are to be reopened by December.
Though through traffic will not be permitted on the widening stretch of the freeway, local access between the points of closure will be permitted. Stakeholders along the corridor requested this, according to MDOT's website.
In addition to the highway reconstruction, five bridges along the corridor will also be replaced. Three pass over I-196, these being the Coit, Eastern, and Diamond Bridges, while two pass over Lafayette.
In Grand Rapids, the business community is very much behind the project, perceiving it as a net plus economically. Jeanne Englehart, CEO of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, has offered praises of both the cosmetic changes to the corridor and the immediate creation of 400-500 jobs in this $40 million dollar effort, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Below is a map of the area to be affected by the Fix on I-196
Both the Michigan House and Senate have passed different versions of a ban on texting while driving. Under these laws, drivers may not receive, send, or write text messages, with exceptions such as emergencies or emergency personnel. Both the Senate and House Versions of this bill highlight the importance of banning texting. Distracted driving is a serious problem, with drivers taking their eyes off the road 4.6 seconds out of 6. (Scott, GRPress) According to a study by the Virginia Teach Transportation Institute (VTTI), a driver who is texting is 23.2 times more likely to get into an accident than a non-texting driver.
Wednesday's unveiling of awards from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Innovation Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program left Michigan with little to show for applications submitted by municipal governments throughout the state. Only two cities-Detroit and Port Huron-were awarded funds for their transportation projects, receiving $23 million and $30 million, respectively.
The Michigan Policy Network is a student-led public education and research program to report and organize news and information about the political process surrounding Michigan state policy issues. It is run out of the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University, with participation by students from the College of Social Science, the College of Communication, and James Madison College.
The thoughts, opinions, and positions represented herein are solely those of the participating students and in no way represent an official position or policy recommendation of Michigan State University.
Michael Raley is Transportation Policy Fellow. He is a third year Sociology and Public Administration/Public Policy student at Michigan State University. He is especially interested in the public policy, politics, and sociology of urban space, as well as transportation systems and public transit. A native of the Grand Rapids area, Michael is currently an intern in the office of State Representative Roy Schmidt, who represents the west and northeast sides of the city. He also aspires to pursue a career in urban and regional planning, and hopes to attend graduate school for such a course of study.
