LANSING, MI — Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently visited three Rebuilding Michigan projects: the M-59 Hall Road project in Clinton Township, the US-131/M-179 Interchange project in Wayland Township, and the US-127 project in Clare.Whitmer visited this project for a National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week event to encourage drivers to exercise caution in work zones as workers begin the construction season to repair the state’s roads and bridges. She was joined by Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.

"We must all do our part to keep the roads safe for our workers during this construction season,” Whitmer said. “Stay alert in construction zones, follow all posted signs, and slow down to protect our construction workers and save a life."

National Work Zone Awareness Week is an annual event that focuses national attention on worker and motorist safety in work zones. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) hosted the 2021 National Work Zone Awareness Week kick-off event with the theme, “Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives.”

The M-59 project is part of a $63-million Rebuilding Michigan investment that would rebuild and improve approximately 4.5 miles of M-59 from Romeo Plank Road to I-94 and support 800 jobs. This project is expected to be completed in November 2022.

Whitmer visited this project to observe the partnership between the Gun Lake Tribe and MDOT. The governor discussed the administration’s Rebuilding Michigan plan and the $300-million Bridge Bundling proposal that would address crumbling bridges and make a greater investment in infrastructure.

"We are incredibly grateful to the Gun Lake Tribe’s generosity and shared commitment to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges,” Whitmer said. “This project will benefit all who travel on U.S. 131, keeping families safe and the economy moving forward. By investing in Michigan’s infrastructure, we will support thousands of good-paying jobs, and make Michigan a leader in infrastructure.”

The US-131/M-179 project will update the interchange to a single point urban interchange and resurface US-131 from 120th Avenue to 133rd Avenue in Allegan County. The cost of the project is approximately $26 million, with the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi funding 80 percent of the costs. The two-year project kicked off March 2021 and is scheduled to open to traffic in November of 2022.

Whitmer visited this project to discuss her Rebuilding Michigan plan to rebuild state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The US-127 project is part of a $14-million Rebuilding Michigan investment that would resurface US-127 from the Clare County Line to Hatton Road. She was joined by Congressman John Moolenaar.

"As we put Michigan back to work, investing in our state’s infrastructure under the Rebuilding Michigan plan will create thousands of good-paying jobs and drive the economy forward,” Whitmer said. “The Rebuilding Michigan plan is a top priority for my administration because it makes our roads safer for everyone and economy stronger for small businesses without an increase at the gas pump.”

The US-127 project will resurface and improve approximately nine miles of US-127 from the Clare County Line to Hatton Road and support 178 jobs. This project is expected to be completed in October 2021.