Talking Michigan Transportation

Michigan Department of Transportation
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The Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with transportation experts inside and outside MDOT and will touch on anything and everything related to mobility, including rail, transit and the development of connected and automated vehicles.

  1. Veteran MDOT leader reflects on a rich career in state government

    2일 전

    Veteran MDOT leader reflects on a rich career in state government

    Laura Mester, who has served as the chief administrative officer at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) since 2011, is retiring from state government in January. She joined the podcast to reflect on her career in state government, including the past 15 years at MDOT.  Mester talks about her perceptions of the department before she joined, and what she learned about the need for a multimodal focus to serve all users. She also discusses the challenges facing the department with decades of inadequate funding to do all the things the public expects.  In her role, she oversaw the Bureau of Finance and the Office of Passenger Transportation, which (among other things) oversees and supports the state’s transit agencies, including the Office of Rail.

    23분
  2. Study: Flashing LED lights can reduce crashes on curves

    12월 4일

    Study: Flashing LED lights can reduce crashes on curves

    On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about a new study that confirms that flashing LED lights, used strategically, can improve safety on curves. The study is part of a larger project looking for effective speed warning technologies, said Timothy Gates, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Michigan State University, who talked about the findings on the podcast.  The research is funded by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The state tallied 128,517 crashes on curved roadways during winter weather conditions between 2018 and 2022, causing 175 serious injuries and fatalities, plus 1,360 less serious and suspected injuries, the study said.  The study concluded that curves on flat roads (called horizontal curves by highway engineers) "present a major challenge to drivers, especially when there is a significant difference between the posted speed limit and the curve advisory speed."

    20분
  3. Projects improve travel near Grand Rapids, Traverse City

    11월 19일

    Projects improve travel near Grand Rapids, Traverse City

    In the second installment of podcasts focusing on significant road and bridge project completions by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), conversations about a new roundabout on busy routes near Traverse City and a new bridge over I-96 in Walker. First, Jeff Shaw, supervisor of Elmwood Township in Leelanau County, talks about what the roundabout means for traffic flow in the area, safety benefits and the connections for pedestrians and cyclists. “Now we're able to take a look at the corridor and the improvements that have been made and know how much of a benefit this is going to be for the people that motor through here, that bike through here, that walk through here," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich at a celebration event on Oct. 31. Former U.S. Department of Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, a Traverse City resident, also attended the celebration. “I know folks grumble about roundabouts, but a well-placed roundabout can reduce injury crashes by 80 percent or more," Buttigieg said of the new M-72/M-22 intersection, a centerpiece of the project. "I want to commend MDOT, the contractors and, above all, the workers who, in partnership with this community, made sure this was a success." At another celebration in October, City of Walker officials joined MDOT engineers and lawmakers to celebrate completion of a $30 million Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge over I-96. The investment replaced the original bridge and interchange from 1961. Contractors widened the new bridge from two lanes to five and included non-motorized paths, linking heavily used trails on each side. Art Green, manager of MDOT’s Grand Rapids Transportation Service Center (TSC), joined the podcast to talk about the long-time needs for the improved bridge and interchange, how the funding came about and improvements already showing up in traffic flow. "Projects like this don't happen overnight," said City of Walker Mayor Gary Carey at the event. "They take vision, persistence, partnership, and a shared belief that our infrastructure is worth investing in."

    22분
  4. MDOT, communities celebrate conclusion of big projects

    11월 13일

    MDOT, communities celebrate conclusion of big projects

    On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations about celebrations of major road and bridge projects completed by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in communities across the state. This week, a focus on the expansion of the U.S. 131 interchange with the U.S. 131 Business Route that links the freeway with downtown Kalamazoo. Jill Bland, executive vice president at Southwest Michigan First, talks about her decades of advocacy for the project and what it will mean to businesses her organization supports, as well as commuters. Later, Trevor Block, manager of  MDOT’s Transportation Service Center (TSC) in Davison, talks about a celebration of another phase of rebuilding a segment of the I-475 corridor in Flint.  This phase rebuilt approximately three miles of I-475 from the Flint River to Carpenter Road as part of a $141 million investment. Next week, the focus on project completions with conversations about a new bridge carrying Fruit Ridge Avenue over I-96 west of Grand Rapids and a roundabout replacing the traditional intersection of M-72 and M-22 just outside Traverse City.

    32분
  5. Michigan budget provides a boost to public transportation

    10월 30일

    Michigan budget provides a boost to public transportation

    Public transportation advocates in Michigan are especially excited about components in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget that provide additional funding to transit agencies across the state. State Rep. Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, a co-chairman of the Legislature’s transit caucus, touted it as an unprecedented investment. "This is the largest increase in public transit funding in Michigan's history, as far as I'm aware," Morgan said. "This is a truly transformational investment." On this week's Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, David Bulkowski, executive director of Disability Advocates of Kent County and a long-time supporter of efforts to improve funding for transit services, explains why transportation is paramount for providing access for all.

    29분
  6. Why MDOT is solidifying policies for use of facilities

    10월 23일

    Why MDOT is solidifying policies for use of facilities

    The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has proposed administrative rules to provide guidance on the use of properties it maintains throughout the state. The proposed rules would improve safety and maintenance, and apply to all of Michigan's 61 rest areas, 82 roadside parks, 267 carpool lots, 23 scenic turnouts and 14 Welcome Centers. Greg Losch, head engineer for MDOT's University Region, has coordinated the drafting of the rules in collaboration with other state agencies. He spoke on the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast about the rules' objectives, chiefly ensuring the safe operation of the facilities. Losch also explains how a long-term lack of adequate transportation funding has caused MDOT to not have the needed resources available that have helped in some other states. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/ROWRules.

    24분
  7. New transportation hub a big step for travelers in Detroit

    10월 17일

    New transportation hub a big step for travelers in Detroit

    Michigan Central, opened in Detroit in 1913 and designed by the same architects as New York's Grand Central Terminal, was a towering landmark and the tallest train station in the world at the time. It was a symbol of the city’s industrial might and later, sadly, became a symbol of blight instead. Now, through the vision of Ford Motor Co. officials and others, it is a symbol again, this time of a great city’s rebirth.  This week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined others in announcing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Michigan Department of Transportation, the City of Detroit and Michigan Central to begin preliminary assessments for a new multimodal transportation hub located within the 30-acre Michigan Central Innovation District, on a parcel just southwest of the station. This week’s podcast features two participants in the MOU announcement: Arun Rao, Amtrak senior director for network development in their Central Region, and Sam Krassenstein, chief of infrastructure for the City of Detroit.

    27분
  8. Michigan budget has good news for studying road usage charges

    10월 9일

    Michigan budget has good news for studying road usage charges

    With Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget agreement now signed into law, this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast focuses on a long-discussed pilot project for a road usage charge (RUC) system, which received funding. First, State Sen. Veronica Klinefelt of Eastpointe, who chairs the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee and has been a strong advocate for studying alternative ways to fund transportation, explains why she advocated for the RUC pilot. Later, John Peracchio, a senior adviser to Michigan’s Council on Future Mobility and Electrification (CFME), offers his insights on how a RUC system has worked in other states and how the council can help with the education process.

    28분
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The Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with transportation experts inside and outside MDOT and will touch on anything and everything related to mobility, including rail, transit and the development of connected and automated vehicles.

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  • 제작진
    Michigan Department of Transportation
  • 방송 연도
    2019년 - 2025년
  • 에피소드
    249
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    무삭제판
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    © 2025 Talking Michigan Transportation
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    Talking Michigan Transportation

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