Tag: Michigan Department of Transportation: Page 5

Roadbuilding

Michigan DOT opens new welcome center at U.S.-Canada border

The Michigan Department of Transportation just opened the Port Huron Welcome Center off of Interstate 94 to welcome visitors to the state. The center will be on the westbound side of the Interstate 94 and will greet the 5.5 million vehicles that cross the Blue Water Bridge each year, according to a press release from […]

May 26, 2015

Roadbuilding

Grass tax instead of gas tax for road funding? Michigan lawmaker calls to legalize “pot for potholes”

A lawmaker in Michigan thinks that marijuana could provide some relief for the state’s ailing roads. Rep. Brandon Dillon (D-Grand Rapids) wrote in an op-ed on MLive.com that Michigan voters have been adamant about not going deeper into their own pockets for funding on some issues—voters shot down a proposal to raise taxes for transportation […]

May 25, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan legislators propose 2 transportation funding bills after Proposal 1 defeat

The major defeat of Proposal 1 in Michigan last week, which would have provided funding for transportation projects via a sales tax increase, prompted lawmakers to propose two bills in attempt to raise monies for road improvements. Michigan voters rejected Proposal 1 by an 80 percent to 20 percent margin. The constitutional amendment would have […]

May 12, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan voters reject sales tax increase for road improvements (UPDATED)

Michigan voters overwhelmingly rejected Tuesday a constitutional amendment that would have raised the state’s sales tax and increased gas prices to improve roadways. Proposal 1 was voted down 80-20, as just 351,000 residents voted in favor against 1.4 million voting no with just 20 percent turnout according to the Detroit Free Press. The Lansing State Journal reports Proposal […]

May 5, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan bridge quality will continue to decline at current funding level reports state transportation council

If funding levels remain at current amounts, Michigan bridge conditions will steadily decline, according to the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council’s (TAMC) 2014 annual report. The TAMC was created in 2002 to “expand the practice of asset management statewide to enhance the productivity of investing in Michigan’s roads and bridges. Part of the TAMC’s mission […]

April 30, 2015

Roadbuilding

Mi Drive app helps Michigan motorists navigate around construction zones

The Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) free Mi Drive app, which has reached more than 40,000 downloads since its launch in November 2014, helps motorists find alternate routes around construction zones with details on traffic incidents and the latest construction project updates. “The summer driving season is always hectic but it’s no secret there’s work […]

April 17, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan DOT earns Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation

Work performed by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to preserve Native American artifacts found during the M-231 project has earned the department, and the six tribes involved in the effort, the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation. Construction on M-231 began in spring 2011 and will stretch from M-45, a.k.a. Lake Michigan Drive, to the Interstate 96/M-104/112th […]

April 9, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan road conditions on downward spiral

A recent preliminary report by the Transportation Asset Management Council (TAMC) shows roads in Michigan are deteriorating at an accelerating pace. The data collected by the council, titled the PASER report, showed that over the past nine years, miles of roads rated “good” or “fair” declined from 77 to 62 percent, with roads rated “poor” […]

March 20, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan campaign to raise sales tax for highway funding launches first TV ad questioning safety of roads

The first television spot by the Safe Roads Yes! campaign aired March 9 to push for approval of Michigan’s Proposal One, which will increase state sales tax to create an estimated $1.2 billion for road and bridge projects. The proposal is up for vote this May and would increase the state sales tax from 6 […]

March 10, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan DOT doesn’t hold contractors to project warranties, audit finds

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) isn’t holding roadwork contractors properly accountable for warranties on their projects, which puts the cost of repairs to such projects squarely on the state’s shoulders, according to an audit of the warranty system by Auditor General Doug Ringler. According to a report by the Detroit Free Press, slightly more than half of […]

February 23, 2015

Roadbuilding

Michigan Senate votes to raise gas tax

The Michigan Senate has passed a bill to raise the state’s gas tax. The bill would approximately double Michigan’s fuel tax to raise about $1 billion a year more to fix transportation infrastructure. If the bill passes the House, the gas tax could increase from 19 cents a gallon all the way to 41 cents a gallon […]

November 25, 2014

Roadbuilding

Cement shortage could delay construction in Michigan

Construction projects across the state of Michigan that are dependent upon concrete are being delayed due to a cement shortage caused by what is being called a “perfect storm” of events. According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan cement industry had to delay the start of shipping this spring due to the […]

November 17, 2014