Talking Michigan Transportation
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On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about revisiting the state’s Complete Streets policy https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/about/policies/complete-streets, adopted by the State Transportation Commission in 2012. Amy Matisoff, whose duties include strategic alignment and outreach for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), explains why she’s spearheading a survey of Michigan residents to get feedback on the existing policy and what they’d like to see revised or updated. Later, she talks about another of her roles as the department’s tribal liaison and her work in that area https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/programs/tribal-affairs. Some related links: How the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) tracks policies across the country https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/complete-streets-policies Smart Growth America’s overview of Complete Streets https://smartgrowthamerica.org/what-are-complete-streets/ A WXYZ-TV story on the survey https://www.wxyz.com/news/mdot-launches-survey-to-help-improve-roads-for-pedestrians-and-vehicles
You may have heard about the federal government’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, funded in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/nevi_formula_program.cfm at $1 billion a year for five years. Michigan was fortunate to receive $110 million of those funds. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Steve Minton, an innovative contracts project manager at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) who is overseeing the state’s NEVI program https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/-/media/Project/Websites/MDOT/Business/Contractors/Innovative-Contracting/2023/NEVI/RFP-Pre-Proposal-Meeting.pdf?rev=0cf692ff35334527b6e754def2d0793b&hash=0BC0D240014C3D0E6A285C9D7FEB3CC2, outlines the process. Some highlights and a timeline: __ __
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a veteran Michigan pollster discusses a recent survey https://martinwaymire.app.box.com/s/hgwh5shxcjfbzynimfbsrvr2zz02adqk of active and likely November general election voters that shows an overwhelming number want the taxes they pay at the pump to fix roads and bridges. Michigan is among states https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2022/mf121t.cfm with a sales tax on motor fuels. That tax, 6 percent, does not go to roads and bridges. By law, the proceeds support the school aid fund, revenue sharing for local municipalities and a minor portion helps fund local transit services. Bernie Porn, president of the polling firm EPIC-MRA, explains that shifting that sales tax to roads and bridges means other revenue would be needed to continue to fund those other services. All survey respondents were asked, “Do you think that all of the taxes that you pay at the gas pump should or should not go toward funding improvements to Michigan’s roads and bridges?” In response, an 82-percent majority said all taxes paid at the gas pump should go toward funding Michigan roads and bridges, 13 percent said no, with 5 percent undecided.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget include additional funds for MI Contracting Opportunity, a program that supports contractors and suppliers who are socially or economically disadvantaged. The $5 million recommendation represents a renewal of the item in the previous budget, with a $2 million increase. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Lisa Thompson, who directs the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Office of Business Development, which includes the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/business/contractors/dbe (DBE) program, explains how the funding will help build on the success of assisting these businesses. Thompson says the goal is to assist small businesses with tools to actively participate in the various phases of road and bridge design and construction. Other objectives include: __ __
This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with two people who participated in a Feb. 6 announcement https://live-wdba-drupal.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/2024-02/FS%20-%202024%20CB%20Plan%20Additions%20%282024-02-01%29%20final.pdf by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) of an additional $2.6 million being invested in 13 community projects as part of construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge (GHIB). First, Heather Grondin, vice president of corporate affairs and external relations for WDBA, talks about the community benefits program and why it’s so important. The projects include cycling infrastructure added to Jefferson Avenue and Clark Street, making for a connection between the GHIB multiuse path and the City of Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway. Later, Mohammed Alghurabi, a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) senior project manager on the bridge project, talks about what it means to him to be able to demonstrate to residents that Canada and Michigan are delivering on promises to the community. Projects announced for funding: __ __
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about the road usage charge (RUC) survey http://www.Michigan.gov/MIRoadCharge conducted to gauge citizen’s thoughts on funding transportation infrastructure. Jean Ruestman, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Passenger Transportation, explains how the department sought and won a federal grant to fund the survey and why the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is incentivizing states to gather the information. Some key takeaways: __ __
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Garrett Dawe, who was recently named engineer of traffic and safety https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/safety at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Dawe succeeds Mark Bott, who is retiring. Dawe talks about what he’s learned in a variety of positions at MDOT, including as a Transportation Service Center manager and North Region operations engineer, and his keen interest in traffic safety. He also discusses the perils of drivers becoming too complacent https://www.trinituner.com/v4/five-reasons-people-get-a-little-too-comfortable-in-the-car/ behind the wheel, prompting them to indulge in distractions.
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, MDOT’s coordinator for snow plowing and other maintenance on state routes in four west Michigan counties talks about preparations for heavy snow in the forecast https://www.mlive.com/weather/2024/01/our-first-plunge-of-arctic-cold-below-zero-wind-chills-on-the-way.html for this weekend. Kurt Fritz, who coordinates maintenance on state trunkline (I, M and US routes) in Mason, Oceana, Muskegon and Ottawa counties, talks about his work with the local road agencies that maintain those routes under contract with MDOT. Nationally, forecasters are using the term “bomb cyclone” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2024/01/09/winter-weather-forecast-includes-snow-polar-vortex-and-bomb-cyclone/72165151007/ blizzard for what’s headed for the Midwest. Reports this week said an earlier storm hit more than 30 states with snow, ice, rain, or thunderstorms and encompassed more than 2 million square miles.
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Mike Hayes, who was recently named chair https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/about/commissions-councils-committees/transportation-commission/data/stc/michael-hayes of the Michigan State Transportation Commission (STC). Hayes, who has been active in community affairs in Midland for many years and served in the Michigan House of Representatives, has been a member of the STC since 2011. He talks about how his background as a community leader and lawmaker informed his thinking about transportation infrastructure and how his views have evolved. Also discussed: __ __
This week on the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Joann Muller, co-author of the Axios What’s Next https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-whats-next/ newsletter, offers her thoughts on trends in the automotive industry, including electric vehicle (EV) sales and more. Three recent stories explored the rapidly changing landscape: __ __ Also discussed: how the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program can help states build out charging networks to provide more certainty for travelers. This includes the $110 million awarded to Michigan https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/mobility/initiatives/nevi for that work.
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Stefan Tongur, vice president of business development in the United States for Israel-based Electreon, a developer and provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. He first discussed https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-michigan-transportation/id1479201209?i=1000550596142 the technology on the podcast shortly after the contract was announced in 2022. Tongur talks about the significance of a media event https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2023/11/29/mdot-city-of-detroit-and-electreon-unveil-the-nations-first-public-ev-charging-roadway-at-mi-central Wednesday, Nov. 29, showcasing the first inductive charging technology installed on a public street in the United States. In February 2022, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced the award of a contract to Electreon for a pilot project with implementation of the technology. MDOT has worked closely in partnership with Electreon, Michigan Central, and the City of Detroit. This week’s demonstration was on a segment of 14th Street, adjacent to the Michigan Central campus in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. The next phase of the project will add the technology to a segment of nearby US-12 (Michigan Avenue). Tongur explains the company’s https://electreon.com/ mission: __ __ Electreon has projects in several countries, including most cited as having the highest share https://www.wri.org/insights/countries-adopting-electric-vehicles-fastest of EV sales. NEXT WEEK: Joann Muller https://www.axios.com/authors/jmuller, a Detroit-based automotive industry reporter for Axios, will be a guest on the podcast to talk about her extensive reporting on the development of EVs.
Experts are trying to parse data that shows a dramatic decline in the number of trips Americans take on foot. Axios summarized https://www.axios.com/2023/11/16/walking-americans-declines-map?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioswhatsnext&stream=science findings from Streetlight Data https://learn.streetlightdata.com/ranking-us-pedestrian-activity-mode-share, including a 36 percent drop in average daily walking trips in the contiguous U.S. between 2019 and 2022. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Emily Adler, director of content at Streetlight, explains the methodology for collecting the information. StreetLight measures travel behavior based on anonymized data from mobile devices, vehicle GPS systems and more. Key points: __ __ Other theories about the decline suggest the rise in online deliveries https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7904472/ is a factor, as people use Amazon and other services for deliveries of goods and food. During and coming out of the pandemic, walking as part of a commute declined as more people work remotely. Even people walking their “pandemic pups” https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/apr/18/pandemic-puppy-pet-animal-rescue don’t really move the numbers compared to those who commuted by foot previously.
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a discussion about why distracted driving initially trended down in Michigan after the states hands-free law https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/ohsp/safety-programs/distracted-driving took effect and why those numbers are not dropping as rapidly now. Ryan McMahon, senior vice president of strategy for Cambridge Mobile Telematics https://www.cmtelematics.com/, a Massachusetts-based company with a stated mission to make the world’s roads and drivers safer, talks about the technology employed to determine the degree of distracted driving. New data https://www.cmtelematics.com/distracted-driving/the-impact-of-grace-periods-on-hands-free-laws/ released by the company shows that in Michigan, distraction has increased every month since month 3, totaling a 7.6 percent increase. In the same time period, Ohio’s distraction level increased 2.4 percent, three times lower. McMahon explains how their telematics showed Michigan with a 36 percent reduction in distracted driving around the time the law took effect but some of those gains have been erased, a trend in other states with similar legislation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says distracted driving accounted for more than 3,500 crash deaths in 2021.
This week, the Michigan Senate’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard testimony on legislation http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(mpfbfnkhoyxuwrbmzuq24ijq))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=2023-HB-4132 that would allow for the use of safety cameras to monitor the speeds of vehicles driving through road construction projects. Pam Shadel Fischer, senior director of External Engagement at the Governors Highway Safety Association, returns to the podcast to tout the effectiveness of the technology in other states. Later, Gregg Brunner, chief engineer and chief operations officer at the Michigan Department of Transportation, explains why he supports the legislation and his takeaway after viewing a demonstration of the technology along a busy freeway. Michigan could join 17 other states employing the technology to lower speeds in work zones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. According to the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse https://workzonesafety.org/work-zone-data/, more than 100,000 crashes occurred in work zones in 2020, resulting in an estimated 44,000 work zone injury crashes and 857 work zone crash deaths. From a report on the topic https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/calculator/factsheet/speed.html from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "The relationship between driving speed and the risk of a crash and/or fatality is well established. In 2019, 26 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities occurred in crashes in which at least one driver was speeding."
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations with two people seeking to better understand the reasons for an uptick in wrong-way driving and to mitigate the risks. First, Gary Bubar, a traffic safety specialist for AAA Michigan, talks about the trend and his organization’s awareness and education efforts. He explains that elderly drivers and those who are intoxicated are much more likely to be wrong-way drivers. Speaking to the Detroit News https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/10/23/michigans-wrong-way-crashes-prompt-search-for-preventive-measures/70407874007/ (subscription) recently about wrong-way crash statistics, Bubar said, “These numbers are only insignificant if youre not the one involved, or if you dont know anyone involved. Across the country, we have about 350 to 400 wrong-way fatality crashes a year. If youre one of those or related to one of those, that number is huge." Bubar also talks about the disturbing trend, highlighted https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIMSP/2023/11/01/file_attachments/2668453/11-1-23%20Michigan%20Seat%20Belt%20Use%20Rate%20Press%20Release.pdf in a Michigan State Police news release this week, of fewer people using seat belts. Later, Erick Kind, Grand Region engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), talks about some measures being implemented to help address wrong-way crashes on the US-131 freeway in Grand Rapids. Kind talks about some technology being employed at freeway ramps where drivers have been found to enter in the wrong direction. These steps are in addition to some things MDOT and other departments have implemented in recent years: __ __
Understanding the intricacies of a states transportation funding can be a daunting task. On this week’s episode of the Talking Michigan Transportation, Bill Hamilton, a policy analyst in the Michigan House Fiscal Agency https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/home.asp and transportation luminary, talks about his work. The discussion also includes an overview of Michigans Transportation Fund (MTF) and the Comprehensive Transportation Fund (CTF), which funds public transportation. Hamilton talks about a report he posted https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/Alpha/Fiscal_Brief_CTF_and_State_Support_for_Public_Transit_Aug2023.pdf recently that analyzes the CTF in the wake of some additional appropriations. These include a $15 million annual increase in CTF funding for transit and $45 million in federal pandemic relief funds for local bus operations in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Hamilton explains that most of the public transit funds are appropriated for local bus operating assistance to some 80 agencies across the state. He also discusses the incentives for the agencies to draw down more funds by raising their own revenues through millages or other initiatives.
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Shane Peck, communications and public involvement director and vice president at WSP, talks about a major study https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/20-24-137/NCHRP20-24(137)FinalReport.pdf he co-authored examining the most effective way to explain the benefits of transportation. The research identified and tested a broad range of evidence-based themes and presented five key themes: __ __ Peck talks about how transportation agencies can capitalize on the research to better explain what they do.
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/10/10/whitmer-signs-bipartisan-bills-to-fill-teacher-shortage-create-high-occupancy-vehicle-lanes enabling Michigan’s first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on a segment of I-75 in Oakland County. This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with the project manager and an official with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), who offer some national perspective. First, Mark Dubay, the Michigan Department of Transportation project manager on the segment of the Modernize 75 project, which includes the HOV lanes, explains the implementation plans and timeline. Later, Larry Dwyer, program director of operations at AASHTO, talks about the history of managed lanes and successes in other states. Things to know about the I-75 HOV lanes: __ __ Michigan joins more than two dozen other states in opening HOV lanes. This summary of state programs allowing exempt vehicle use of HOV/high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14006/chap2.htm outlines the various provisions.
Ryan Mitchell, recently named director of the newly established Office of Major Projects at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), joins the podcast. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) categorizes major projects as those with a price tag of $500 million or more. Mitchell helped establish and refine the alternative delivery and critical project delivery programs of numerous U.S. transportation agencies, including the state transportation departments of Nevada, Texas, Alaska, and Michigan. He explains the various types of alternative delivery https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/alternative_project_delivery/ of projects and the benefits. Other links and references: Innovative contracting at MDOT https://www.Michigan.gov/MDOT/Business/Contractors/InnovativeContracting MDOT’s Modernize 75 project https://www.Modernize75.com/
Early in 2022, the Detroit News reported that criminals had taken to the citys freeways to settle arguments with guns and avoid the citys network of high-definition surveillance cameras at gas stations and other locations. Michigan State Police reports show at least two shootings happened every month on Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county freeways in 2021. And that is despite increased police patrols that were launched in response to what officials said was then an unprecedented wave of high-speed violence. First Lt. Michael Shaw of the Michigan State Police joins the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast this week to talk about how license plate readers are being deployed https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/license-plate-readers-added-to-some-metro-detroit-freeways to help. Later, he talks about how excessive speeding continues even as the pandemic subsided and more vehicles returned to the roads. He talked about the increase in speeding and fatal crashes on a previous edition https://talkingmitransportation.buzzsprout.com/1374205/5707882 early in the pandemic. Other relevant links: __ __
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with John Peracchio, a veteran strategic consultant in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) sector and automotive industry. Topics include: __ __
Last week, before tornadoes devastated communities across Michigan, record rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems and tributaries in Wayne County. The highest total was nearly 7.4 inches reported at a station https://www.weather.gov/dtx/flooding08242023 in Belleville, a 24-hour total nearly all of which fell during this event. The deluge also flooded the tunnels at Detroit Metro Airport and closed the McNamara Terminal for several hours. The National Weather Service reported that a record 3.5 inches of rain fell during that period at the airport, the most ever recorded on Aug. 24. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Hugh McDiarmid Jr., communications director at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, talks about how the combination climate change of more frequent extreme weather events and a loss of wetlands has disrupted the watersheds. Some references: Definition of wetlands https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/what-wetland Southeast Michigan watershed https://therouge.org/about-us/our-watershed/ Examining the link between wetland loss and flood damage https://www.wisconsinwetlands.org/updates/making-a-case-for-wetlands/ Freeways and flooding elsewhere in the country https://fox59.com/news/hundreds-of-drivers-stranded-on-houston-highways-due-to-flooding/
Jason Gutting joins the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast this week to talk about his new role as director of MDOT’s Bureau of Field Services. He talks about standards and specifications for paving materials and how MDOT engineers confer with counterparts from across the country; innovations in road building, winter maintenance and operations; and ongoing challenges because of inflation and supply chain pressures since the pandemic began. Gutting was previously the administrator of the Construction Field Services (CFS) division. He also worked in operations and was the construction contracts engineer for CFS as well as the construction engineer and an assistant construction engineer at the MDOT Lansing Transportation Service Center (TSC). Other references in the podcast: Iowa State University’s National Concrete Pavement Technology Center https://cptechcenter.org/ Inflation in road building https://enotrans.org/article/highway-construction-costs-have-risen-50-in-two-years/ MDOT winter road maintenance https://www.Michigan.gov/MDOT/Travel/Safety/Road-Users/Winter-Safety https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/safety/road-users/winter-safety
On this week’s podcast, Michael J. Coren, the Washington Post’s climate advice columnist, talks about his recent reporting https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2023/electric-vehicle-charging-price-vs-gasoline/ (subscription) on the cost of filling a vehicle’s fuel tank versus charging an electric vehicle (EV) battery. The answer, he explains, is less straightforward than it seems. He writes, “Just calculating the cost of gasoline versus electricity is misleading. Prices vary by charger (and state). Everyone charges differently. Road taxes, rebates and battery efficiency all affect the final calculation.” OTHER REFERENCES AND LINKS: Finding on tailpipe emissions and EVs https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2023/08/07/new_epa_tailpipe_standards_call_electric_vehicle_promises_into_question_970708.html Pew research on Americans’ perceptions of EVs https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/13/how-americans-view-electric-vehicles/ Energy Innovation study of the cost to fill up https://energyinnovation.org/publication/how-much-does-it-cost-to-fill-up-an-electric-vehicle-vs-a-gas-powered-car/ The early adopter era is over for EVs https://www.axios.com/2023/08/09/electric-cars-adoption-rates
This week on the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations with two people committed to equity in transportation and access for all. First, Valerie Lefler, founder and executive director of Feonix - Mobility Rising (pronounced like "Phoenix"), talks about what inspires her work and this week’s launch of the Mobility Wallet Pilot Program for veterans. Later, David Bulkowski, executive director of Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC), talks about his long career working on the same goals and DAKC’s partnership in the program. Some references in this weeks show: News release announcing the Mobility Wallet Pilot Program https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2023/08/03/michigan-mobility-wallet-pilot-program-for-veterans-launches-on-purple-heart-day Disability Advocates of Kent County https://www.dakc.us/ Feonix - Mobility Rising https://feonix.org/team/
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a reflection on 10 years of success in MDOT’s Transportation Diversity Recruitment Program (TDRP) https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/careers/tdrp. The 10-week program allows students to work alongside other on-the-job training program participants, internal staff and external professionals who provide engineering, technical, inspection, and project management services for state road and bridge projects. First, James Jackson, strategy director for MDOT’s TDRP, talks about the satisfaction he gains from working with students and the more than 50 who participated this year. The department released a video https://youtu.be/-dyNBjK-1eo Aug. 1 featuring some of the students, highlighting the success of the program. Later, we hear from Zaya Wright, who graduated in the spring from Southern and A&M College and is finishing her second year in the TDRP program. Zaya talks about her goals to work in civil engineering and transportation and the satisfaction she draws from the process of designing and building safe roads and bridges.
Regular Talking Michigan Transportation podcast contributor Lloyd Brown joins this week’s conversation to talk about a number of topics in the news. Brown is formerly the director of communications for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and now a Phoenix-based senior strategic communications consultant for HDR, Inc. Among topics discussed: · Road user charges. A simulation https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/transportation-officials-discuss-possibility-of-pay-per-mile-tax-in-washington in the state of Washington featured 70 percent of 1,000 drivers participating saying they were satisfied with the process. Not surprisingly, some drivers expressed privacy concerns. · E-bikes. As they grow in popularity, there are increasingly unnerving reports https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/11/everything-you-need-to-know-about-e-bike-battery-fires/ of electric bike battery fires. Are cheaper batteries to blame? Could higher production quality bikes be the answer? A TechCrunch story explains the issue and some of the root causes. Brown talks about a future where electric vehicle repair and battery replacement become commonplace. · Slower driving in Chicago. A recent report from Streetlight Data ranked large U.S. cities by speeds driven on major pedestrian roadways. More than 60 percent of Chicago’s major pedestrian roadways have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph. The national average is 36 percent. Also discussed, an inspiring story https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2023/06/24/angoon-students-name-launch-first-dugout-canoe-since-1882-bombardment/ from Alaska where students in the community of Angoon built and launched a dugout canoe to honor their forebearers, recalling the havoc wreaked on the Tlingit peoples by the U.S. Navy in 1882; and an Axios story https://www.axios.com/2023/07/20/south-park-generative-ai-episode-generator about how AI grabbed the South Park director’s chair.
Bridge Michigan reported https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/fatal-crashes-remain-high-post-pandemic-michigan-risky-driving-blamed this week that fatal crash numbers remain high in post-pandemic Michigan, with safety advocates again citing risky driving behavior as the reason. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Bridge Michigan reporter Mike Wilkinson talks about his analysis of the data and what he found. In a second segment, Pamela Shadel Fischer, senior director of external engagement at the Washington, D.C.-based Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), offers her organization’s perspective on the problem and how automated traffic enforcement could stem the tide. Wilkinson collected data that supports these troubling findings. He discovered that despite a decrease in overall driving during the pandemic, fatal crash rates have increased by 30 percent over that time frame, particularly in the northern half of Michigans Lower Peninsula. The discussion begins with an exploration of worrying trends: an alarming rise in reckless driving and crashes, particularly in rural areas. This is due to several factors, including higher speeds, more risky behavior on the roads, and a concerning disparity in seatbelt usage between rural and urban areas. Shadel Fischer is among advocates who say policy makers should promote measures that take advantage of automated technology to detect speeding. She also cites provisions https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/infrastructure/592689-states-can-now-access-billions-for-speed/ in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act https://www.whitehouse.gov/build/ to allow for the use of the technology, what she terms "safety cameras."
This week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features a discussion about legislation, House Bill 4353 https://legislature.mi.gov/(S(kecexnkyz0cuajtscp5nfvbw))/mileg.aspx?objectname=2023-HB-4353&page=getobject&query=on&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, to allow for a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) component on newly built freeway lanes. This will be a first for Michigan. Mark Dubay is a senior project manager for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) working on modernization https://www.modernize75.com/ of I-75 in Oakland County, which features several benefits to commuters and others driving on the busy corridor. In addition to the HOV lane, other benefits include the addition of a tunnel to drain and store water and prevent freeway flooding during heavy rain events. The project also includes another diverging diamond interchange https://mdotcf.state.mi.us/public/tands/Details_Web/mdot_diverging_diamond_interchange_info_guide.pdf (DDI). Later, Patrick McCarthy, director of MDOT’s Bureau of Finance, joins the podcast to talk about the transportation provisions in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget adopted by the Legislature this week.
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a topic that provokes strong feelings among everyone who drives: when to merge when a freeway lane is closed for construction. Tom Vanderbilt explained in his 2008 book, Traffic https://books.apple.com/us/book/traffic/id419966636, there are two schools of thought: The first camp - let us name it after the bumper sticker that says practice random acts of kindness - viewed early mergers as virtuous souls doing the right thing and late mergers as arrogant louts. "Unfortunately, people suck," wrote one Random Acts poster. "Theyll try whatever they can to pass you, to better enjoy the traffic jam from a few car lengths ahead of you… People who feel that they have more pressing concerns and are generally more important than you will keep going, and some weak-spined schmuck will let them in further down, slowing your progress even more. This sucks; Im afraid its the way of the world." Another camp, the minority camp - lets call them Live Free or Die, after the license plate motto of the state of New Hampshire - argued that the late mergers were quite rationally utilizing the highways maximum capacity, thus making life better for everyone. In their view, the other groups attempts toward politeness and fairness were actually detrimental to all. Gregg Brunner, acting chief operations officer and director of the Bureau of Field Services at the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks about the advantages of the so-called “zipper merge” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/10/business/road-rage-zipper-merging.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare for commuter routes. He also shares insights on the importance of driver education and public awareness for a successful implementation, as well as why the zipper merge isnt suitable for every project. Michigan is among several states encouraging drivers to use the zipper merge technique in specific circumstances and working on creative ways to educate drivers on how it works. This Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) video https://youtu.be/TLAISm1XuHQ features adults in cardboard cars as a learning exercise on how to take turns.
