Talking Michigan Transportation

Legislation would keep snowplows on the road

A bill introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, the Protecting Lifesaving Operations during Winter Storms Act (PLOWS Act), would exempt snowplows used by state a

Reprise: Study moving forward to prevent vehicle-wildlife crashes

Research indicates as many as 2 million vehicles collide with large wildlife in the United States each year, resulting in as many as 200 human deaths, more than 26,000 in

A look at project milestones as 2026 construction season winds down

As this year’s road construction season draws to a close, this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast focuses on some of the major Michigan Departm

Senate seeks to expedite permitting, environmental review

Just before the U.S. Senate recessed at the end of September, leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR

MSP after another road worker death: “It was a preventable crash”

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast is an encore of a previous discussion about the vital need for driver attention in work zones following

Calls mount for more e-bike regulation

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a look at the regulatory challenges presented by an increasing number of electric bikes (e-bikes) o

Making the rapids grand again

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with two people instrumental in a project to restore the rapids to the Grand Riv

It’s National Roundabouts Week. Who knew?

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has declared this week, Sept. 21-25, as National Roundabouts Week. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has installe

What’s next for the iconic Tunnel of Trees?

Just as crews began repairing sections of M-119 (also known as The Tunnel of Trees) damaged by April flooding, heavy rains in June wreaked havoc on more sections of the p

Reprise: DNR boosts hunting to help farmers, reduce car-deer crashes

As fall approaches, and on the heels of last week’s discussion about creating safe crossings to prevent deadly and costly vehicle-wildlife crashes, we are reprising an ep

Study moving forward to prevent vehicle-wildlife crashes

Research indicates as many as 2 million vehicles collide with large wildlife in the United States each year, resulting in as many as 200 human deaths, more than 26,000 in

Progress on a Michigan road user charge project

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Jennifer Roberts, national road usage charge (RUC) discipline lead at CDM Smith, the consultan

Feds ease rules to expedite deployment of robotaxis

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features another conversation with Joann Muller, who writes the Axios Future of Mobility newsletter. 

The Gordie Howe International bridge: Memories from the trenches

On July 27, with little fanfare, the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge (GHIB) opened, creating a vital commercial link between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

A long-awaited celebration at the Blue Water Bridge

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Amy Winn, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) administrator at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, t

Progress update on MDOT’s electric vehicle charging program

It has been five years since adoption of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which, among many things, included federal funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastru

Reimagining the U.S. Interstate system at 70

A national effort, entitled the “Reimagining America’s Interstates” initiative, is collecting comments on new interstate facility suggestions, feedback on major upgrades

Michigan budget agreement ensures continued investment in roads

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich talks about the Fiscal Year 2027 budget agreemen

More deluges, more washouts on the iconic Tunnel of Trees

Just as crews began repairing sections of M-119, also known as The Tunnel of Trees, damaged by April flooding, heavy rains wreaked havoc on more sections of the popular t

How research informs transportation decisions

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Michael Townley, engineer of research at the Michigan Department of Transportat