“Every Michigander deserves to drive to work and drop their kids at school without popping a tire or cracking a windshield. This transformation, made possible by the Rebuilding Michigan plan I announced in my State of the State address this year, is good for our families, our businesses, and our economy as a whole,” Whitmer said. “This freeway used to be held together with patches and emergency repairs, and with the hard work of our dedicated construction workers who worked on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, this new project is yet another step towards building a stronger more reliable state. I look forward to continuing this crucial work through the Rebuilding Michigan plan to ensure everyone who drives in Michigan are safe on the road.”
The governor was again joined by Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Director Paul Ajegba who surveyed the project and outlined the necessary improvements that were made. MDOT invested approximately $60 million to improve I-496 between I-96 and Lansing Road. Work included rebuilding the freeway and ramps, preventive maintenance on all the bridges in the project area, and making operational improvements to the entrance and exit ramps at the I-96, Creyts Road, and Waverly Road interchanges.
The project is one of 122 on heavily traveled state-owned highways made possible or put on an accelerated timeline due to bond financing approved by the State Transportation Commission in January. When the bond financing is complete, it will allow the department to advance projects so users can enjoy the social and economic benefits sooner. Bonding for improvements with a significant useful life spreads the project costs to the users over a longer period of time.
