Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/category/transportation/page/2/)
As the winter season approaches, counties across Michigan are preparing to handle the inevitable dumping of snow, especially on roadways.
Technology and processes employed have helped plows become more efficient, said Bradley Wieferich, the director of the Department of Transportation.
Public transportation is suffering from a lack of drivers in communities across Michigan.
Clark Harder, the executive director of the Michigan Public Transit Association, said it’s a statewide problem.
Michigan is set to receive $20.4 million from a federal grant to improve passenger and freight railroads around the state, including a bridge project in Wexford County.
The Manistee River Train Bridge replacement project is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2027, according to MDOT.
An aerospace engineering team at the University of Michigan is researching hybrid-electric aircraft to dramatically reduce carbon emissions. The U-M aviation program will follow a design similar to the way hybrid-electric cars use batteries.
Public transit agencies in Michigan are facing post-pandemic ridership and staffing shortages. The Michigan Public Transit Association launched ad campaigns in February to address those needs and has seen many great responses, especially on social media, but the association’s members still face hardships, and no one knows if they’ll get all of their riders back.
A recently launched bridge bundling program by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is expected to repair up to 78 locally owned bridges that are in serious or critical condition. The repaired bridges could last up to 50 years before needing to be fixed again and could potentially last even longer with maintenance project.
Although flying cars aren’t currently in the sky, they could be very soon. Michigan legislators have introduced bills that would establish an “Advanced Air Mobility Study Committee” to review current laws that affect the aeronautics industry.
In the age of Uber and Lyft, public transportation is still the only viable option for many Michigan residents. But a driver shortage is hurting Dial-A-Ride services across the state, causing them to cut back on services. That often leaves the most vulnerable residents in rural Michigan with longer wait times and less access to public transportation.
The Michigan Public Transit Association has launched an information advocacy campaign to fill hiring needs and increase ridership. The advocacy initiative includes television, radio, billboard and social media campaigns and is expected to continue into May.
Pedestrian safety in Michigan has taken a hit as fatalities skyrocketed by 17% in 2020, even though fewer drivers were on the road due to COVID-19 lockdowns.