Driving Toward Safety: Innovations and Challenges

On this week’s episode of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Brad Wieferich, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks about his background overseeing development and design of road projects and the challenge of balancing mobility and safety.

With strong winds churning up lake-effect snow on Michigan’s western lakeshore, police agencies have reported dozens of crashes. Despite ongoing messages from law enforcement and safety advocates, drivers often fail to drive to the conditions.

Wieferich talks about what officials learned from a study conducted after a 193-vehicle pileup on I-94 near Galesburg resulted in the Michigan State Police issuing 58 citations.  

Also discussed:

• The Legislature, following about half of all states, approved bills allowing for the use of safety cameras in work zones. Wieferich explains the benefits.
• Challenges in transportation going into 2025.