Michigan Department of Transportation Press Release
June 23, 2010 — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is holding a series of 10 meetings to encourage public comment on future road and bridge projects in rural areas of Michigan. MDOT has scheduled meetings from Escanaba to Adrian from July 13 to July 22 regarding MDOT’s reduced draft State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The meetings will provide residents of rural communities with an opportunity to discuss a preliminary list of projects for the 2011-2014 fiscal years with local MDOT planners and engineers. A list of the projects is available online at www.michigan.gov/stip.
MDOT is working with state and local transportation agencies to advance a reduced STIP. Faced with a shortfall in state gas tax and vehicle registration revenues used to match available federal funding in 2011, MDOT is submitting two programs for review. MDOT is currently proposing a constrained $600 million-a-year program. Should $84 million in state revenues become available to match federal aid, this program would expand to a $1.25 billion per year. MDOT has released a list of reduced programs and a list of additional projects that the state will pursue if funding becomes available. Both lists have been posted to the STIP page on the MDOT Web site.
“The transportation funding crisis affects every area of the state in communities large and small. This particular series of meetings is designed to ensure that the voices of citizens in non-metropolitan areas are heard, so we encourage interested residents to participate,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle.
The meeting dates and locations are as follows. All meetings are from 4-7 p.m.
Kincheloe – July 13
Kinross Township Hall, 4884 W. Curtis St.
Assistance by: Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning Commission
Traverse City – July 13
NWCOG Conference Room, Michigan Works Office, 1209 S. Garfield Ave.
Assistance by: Northwest Michigan Council of Governments
Kalamazoo – July 13
MDOT Region Conference Room, 1501 E. Kilgore Road
Assistance by: Southwestern Michigan Commission
Southcentral Michigan Planning Council
Saginaw – July 14
MDOT Bay Region Office Conference Room, 55 E. Morley Dr.
Assistance by: East Central Michigan Planning and Development Regional Commission;
GLS Region V Planning and Development Commission
Escanaba – July 14
Room 961, Heirman Center, Bay College
Assistance by: Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission
Gaylord – July 14
MDOT North Region Conference Room, 1088 M-32 East
Assistance by: Northeast Michigan Council of Governments
Greenville – July 15
M-Tech Center, 1325 Yellow Jacket Dr.
Assistance by: West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission;
West Michigan Regional Planning Commission
Bruce Crossing – July 15
Tulppo’s Restaurant, 14967 State Highway M-28
Assistance by: Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission
Adrian – July 20
Adrian City Commission Chambers, 159 E. Maumee St.
Assistance by: Region 2 Planning Commission
Corunna – July 22
Conference Room, Shiawassee County Road Commission, 701 W. Corunna Ave.
Assistance by: GLS Region V Planning and Development Commission
For more information about these meetings and to request accommodations, call Bob Parsons at 517-373-9534. With advance notice of seven days, MDOT can make most of the materials for this hearing available in alternative formats such as large print or audiotape, and can make accommodations for sign language interpretation and/or assisted listening devices.
###
