Michigan Notes

[Georgia Guardrail]

Has there been anymore talk recently of redoing the I-75/I-69 interchange?  I read a few years back there were plans to flip it so that I-75 goes over instead of under I-69.

[JREwing78]

Has there been anymore talk recently of redoing the I-75/I-69 interchange?  I read a few years back there were plans to flip it so that I-75 goes over instead of under I-69.

It's not on the latest 5-year transportation plan: 
https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/-/media/Project/Websites/MDOT/Programs/Planning/Five-Year-Transportation-Program/2026-2030-5YTP.pdf?rev=7f9c5588a3804f38b72d536b4db73673&hash=F3F0C3D95E90372CFACE648C41D73E03

[akt85]

I do not know if this is the appropriate thread, but there was a 100 plus car pileup on I-196 this afternoon near Hudsonville during heavy snow.

https://www.woodtv.com/news/local-news/travel-not-recommended-monday-morning-amid-blowing-snow-nws-warns/

[JREwing78]

At one point, US-131 between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo and sections of I-94 and I-96 were also parking lots today. But the one on I-196 near Holland was by far the worst today.

When possible I try to avoid freeways in these conditions. Too many people are overconfident in their abilities or their vehicles' abilities, and then they realize far too late that they can't stop or maneuver around other folks who spun out.

I used to be more Darwinistic in my philosophy about these kinds of wrecks. But as a society, we are too entitled to a set of wheels to get us around, unwilling to provide alternative options, and unwilling to train and enforce good driving behavior.

So, here it is - it's time for Michigan to adopt variable speed limits statewide on freeways, with speed cameras to identify and fine the everloving s*** out of folks who exceed the assigned variable speed limit. You get in an accident or go off the road in those conditions, and you lose your license until your dumb ass goes back to driving school.

Why? We're collectively too damn stupid to slow down without financial ruin hanging over our heads, and nobody appears to understand Michigan's prima Facie speed law. Maybe instead we just have to treat every driver like a damn toddler and tell them with a bright big ass sign that they shall not exceed 35 mph in this weather.

[wanderer2575]

^  We've already got big ass signs that say 55 mph on an urban freeway, and you can see how well that's obeyed and enforced.

And a posted 35 mph in a snowstorm is a guarantee that you won't go off the road or cause a crash?  That just a variation of the guy who thinks he's driving safe because he's doing 15 mph and gripping the wheel at 10 and 2 -- but he's straddling lanes and weaving left and right, completely oblivious to everything else, and in fact is the biggest damn hazard out there.

Yes, we've already got a basic speed law.  Take away the licenses of drivers violating that and causing crashes until their dumb asses go back to driving school, and really quickly they'll understand that law.  But bureaucracy ensures we can't go too far in blaming people for the consequences of their actions.

[Plutonic Panda]

Wait, taking someone's license away will stop them from driving lol

[wanderer2575]

MDOT is conducting a transportation safety survey through March 15th.

Note that most of the questions include a list of items that you need to rank in order of importance, so this could take awhile.

[wanderer2575]

MDOT is hosting an open house next week regarding reconstruction of I-75 between LaPlaisance Road and Dixie Highway in Monroe.  This is phase 4 of the 5-phase project to reconstruct I-75 between the Ohio state line and I-275, and might be the most expensive since it will include replacing the bridges over the River Raisin.  The Elm Avenue interchange will be removed.  It's noted that the project is planned for 2029-2030, so we still have to deal with a very bumpy road for another four years.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/02/04/mdot-open-house-feb-19-for-planned-i-75-rebuilding-project-in-monroe-county

[The Ghostbuster]

The Elm Rd. interchange does not look Interstate Standard to me. It is probably a good thing they are removing it.

[Flint1979]

MDOT is hosting an open house next week regarding reconstruction of I-75 between LaPlaisance Road and Dixie Highway in Monroe.  This is phase 4 of the 5-phase project to reconstruct I-75 between the Ohio state line and I-275, and might be the most expensive since it will include replacing the bridges over the River Raisin.  The Elm Avenue interchange will be removed.  It's noted that the project is planned for 2029-2030, so we still have to deal with a very bumpy road for another four years.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/02/04/mdot-open-house-feb-19-for-planned-i-75-rebuilding-project-in-monroe-county

Why would they remove the Elm Avenue exit? It's on the north side of the river which will make the Ford warehouse there harder to access. They should have just made the Elm Avenue and Front Street exits into one exit. Of course that would require ramps over the river but that isn't a big deal.

They need to go further north than just 275 too 75 all the way from Detroit is crap.

[wanderer2575]

MDOT is hosting an open house next week regarding reconstruction of I-75 between LaPlaisance Road and Dixie Highway in Monroe.  This is phase 4 of the 5-phase project to reconstruct I-75 between the Ohio state line and I-275, and might be the most expensive since it will include replacing the bridges over the River Raisin.  The Elm Avenue interchange will be removed.  It's noted that the project is planned for 2029-2030, so we still have to deal with a very bumpy road for another four years.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/02/04/mdot-open-house-feb-19-for-planned-i-75-rebuilding-project-in-monroe-county

Why would they remove the Elm Avenue exit? It's on the north side of the river which will make the Ford warehouse there harder to access. They should have just made the Elm Avenue and Front Street exits into one exit. Of course that would require ramps over the river but that isn't a big deal.

It's a big deal because of the usual MDOT constraint called Lack of Funding.  The second Preferred Alternative was to construct C/D lanes to keep both interchanges, but that would nearly double the width of the bridges and drive up the cost.

MDOT just doesn't have the multi billions of dollars it would take to do all these reconstructions and widenings you keep bringing up.

[thenetwork]

The Elm Rd. interchange does not look Interstate Standard to me. It is probably a good thing they are removing it.

That stretch of I-75 from the Ohio line north to at least Monroe was built in the 1950s -- before there were real insterstate standards.

Pretty much all of the interchanges were upgraded to modern standards over the decades except for the Elm & Front Street exits.

[The Ghostbuster]

I believe Interstate 75 south of Detroit was originally Alternate US 24.

[Flint1979]

I believe Interstate 75 south of Detroit was originally Alternate US 24.

US-25

[The Ghostbuster]

I was referring to the four-lane highway that was constructed in the 1940s, which is now part of Interstate 75: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_75_in_Michigan#Turnpikes_and_freeways.

[Terry Shea]

So it's 2026, and apparently quite a few folks have no idea what's going on with Michigan's fuel taxes. I've personally observed gas station owners and political candidates trying to spread FUD on social media about what's happening to fuel prices, making it like the gas prices are shooting up 20 cents due to the new tax, and ignoring that the 6% sales tax no longer applies. In effect, the new fuel tax scheme shouldn't affect fuel prices much at all.


I earlier asserted that Michigan had failed to index its fuel tax to inflation. But apparently that was incorrect; there's a mechanism now to adjust fuel tax levies based on the lesser of inflation or 5% per year. Hopefully this quells the stupid roller coaster funding swings from requiring the Legislature to act to adjust the fuel tax levy.

Somehow, the state executive and legislature actually did a decent job addressing the road funding problem despite themselves.

The "problem" is that there is no obligation for a business to pass the sales tax savings on to the consumer.  Nor is a consumer likely to know if a business is passing on the sales tax savings.

[Flint1979]

I was referring to the four-lane highway that was constructed in the 1940s, which is now part of Interstate 75: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_75_in_Michigan#Turnpikes_and_freeways.

Yeah that was US-24A. I-75 and I-94 replaced US-25 in Michigan though.

[JREwing78]

So it's 2026, and apparently quite a few folks have no idea what's going on with Michigan's fuel taxes. I've personally observed gas station owners and political candidates trying to spread FUD on social media about what's happening to fuel prices, making it like the gas prices are shooting up 20 cents due to the new tax, and ignoring that the 6% sales tax no longer applies. In effect, the new fuel tax scheme shouldn't affect fuel prices much at all.

The "problem" is that there is no obligation for a business to pass the sales tax savings on to the consumer.  Nor is a consumer likely to know if a business is passing on the sales tax savings.

There's never an "obligation". But this is an industry where its most visible product is always listed as a price ending in 9/10 of a cent, and most of their profits come from drawing folks to the C-stores on the same property. A gas station that continues to charge the sales tax unnecessarily is going to have its ass handed to it repeatedly unless it's the only one for miles around.

Above all else, Big Oil is going to do what they have to do to milk the golden cow. They are going to get their money one way or the other. This is why I'm all for cranking up fuel taxes when the opportunity presents itself. Drivers will adjust, road agencies will get the funding need to make repairs, and maybe Big Oil doesn't get record profits this time around. Oh DARN!

[GaryV]

So it's 2026, and apparently quite a few folks have no idea what's going on with Michigan's fuel taxes.

The "problem" is that there is no obligation for a business to pass the sales tax savings on to the consumer.  Nor is a consumer likely to know if a business is passing on the sales tax savings.

The cost of the product (whether it be the actual fuel or the added taxes) is only a part of what determines the price at the pump. Most often I see gas priced to what the market will bear.

"Someone" raises the price by 30 cents overnight. Nearby stations raise their price by 20 cents. The original "someone" lowers the price by 10 cents the next day. Over the course of a week, "everyone" lowers the price by 2 or 3 cents. And all the consumers are somehow happy because the price is "going down".

[Flint1979]

The closest gas station to me was $3.22 yesterday, down to $3.12 today, this for anyone that cares is the BP station at State and Hemmeter in Saginaw Township. Now go clear across town which takes about 20 minutes to Bridgeport and gas there is $2.79 at Love's and Speedway. I'm constantly going to Love's to get gas, with the app you get 10 cents off so it's $2.69 a gallon. The Kroger also at State and Hemmeter is $2.99.

[GaryV]

Bridgeport and gas there is $2.79 at Love's and Speedway

That's where I often find the cheapest gas when I'm going "Up North".

[Flint1979]

Bridgeport and gas there is $2.79 at Love's and Speedway

That's where I often find the cheapest gas when I'm going "Up North".

That's usually it too. Ever since Love's opened there they've dominated the prices at that exit. The Speedway will go up with all the other Speedway's when the prices go up, but will be down to Love's price by the next day.

[afguy]

$13M project to enhance I-94, U.S. 131 interchange begins in March

The Michigan Department of Transportation is adding a lane to the westbound I-94 to northbound U.S. 131 interchange near Kalamazoo. The additional lane between I-94 and Stadium Drive will increase safety and improve traffic flow, per an MDOT press release. The $13.4 million project is expected to begin March 2 and be complete in mid-September.

Currently, there's just one lane in the interchange and two lanes on U.S. 131 between I-94 and Stadium Drive. Traffic is often backed up in the area around rush hour.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2026/02/13m-project-to-enhance-i-94-us-131-interchange-begins-in-march.html

[afguy]

MDOT will be replacing the lights along U.S. 131 between Wealthly and Pearl streets in Grand Rapids this year.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/us-131-lighting-replacement

[Flint1979]

MDOT will be replacing the lights along U.S. 131 between Wealthly and Pearl streets in Grand Rapids this year.

https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/projects-studies/us-131-lighting-replacement

That's nice