Talking Michigan Transportation

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Baruch Feigenbaum of the Reason Foundation returns to talk about developments in Michigan for a road user charge (RUC) model for funding roads. The concept is also referred to as mileage-based user fees (MBUF) by some.Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason, testified June 24 at a Michigan House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about the concept, addressing concerns about privacy and other aspects. A pilot program included in both the Gov. Whitmer’s and the Senate’s proposed budgets would gather feedback from residents and examine implementation strategies. 

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Gregg Brunner, chief operations officer at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), about recent deadly crashes in or near work zones. On June 24, a truck driver was killed and MDOT workers were injured in a crash on I-75 in Monroe County. In another, July 1, two people were killed in a crash in a work zone queue on I-96 west of Portland. Brunner composed a poignant message to department employees with a reminder of the need to be vigilant about safety. From his message:                We talk often about safety, but these events are painful reminders of just how critical it is every single day, in every single task. Whether you're in a work zone, near active traffic, in one of our garages or facilities, or behind the wheel, your actions matter. Safety is a mindset, not a checklist. It's about being present, engaged and always looking out for one another. Brunner talked about benefits to be found in developments in technology to alert drivers and the promise of driver-assist technologies in vehicles, as outlined by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Podcast features a reprise of a 2022 conversation with a veteran Michigan pollster about the public’s view of road conditions, repairs and funding. At the time, the pollster, Richard Czuba, talked about perceptions of improvements because of Gov. Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program, which allowed MDOT officials to capitalize on a favorable bond market to rebuild many of the state’s busiest roads. The department leveraged debt to make vital improvements, but the need for a sustainable funding solution persists.

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, some context from elsewhere on freeway ramp metering, where it works well and why.First, Angie Drumm, deputy director of traffic and safety for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) region that includes Metro Denver, joins the conversation to talk about the history there and what’s been learned.Later, Lawrence Dwyer, director of safety and mobility at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), offers a national perspective on the concept and other innovations in traffic safety.This podcast is the second of two focusing on ramp metering. Last week, the conversation focused on implementation of the approach on I-96 in Michigan’s western Oakland County.

After a long hiatus, Michigan is again implementing ramp metering, which helps regulate the flow of traffic from ramps onto busy freeways. It will be used on the I-96 Flex Route portion in western Oakland County.On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Sarah Gill, operations engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Metro Region, talks about how it will work and the history of ramp metering in Michigan. Gill explains the key reasons for implementing ramp metering, which include improving merging, reducing crashes and reducing travel times. An MDOT how-to video offers guidance on the concept.Next week’s episode will delve farther into the topic and include conversations with a traffic safety engineer with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), who will talk about how successful the concept has been in the rapidly growing Denver area. You’ll also hear a national perspective from the director of safety and mobility at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a check-in with Joann Muller, the Detroit-based transportation correspondent for Axios.Muller explains the thinking behind General Motors officials’ announcement to invest $4 billion in the U.S. and move some vehicle production back from Mexico.She also offers some insight she gained in reporting on negotiations between the U.S. and China over rare earth magnets, underscoring the need for the U.S. to develop a long-term strategy.Also discussed: The likely result of easing regulations that have held back commercial drones in the U.S. 

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with J. Michael Skiba, also known as “Dr. Fraud,” a national expert on scams, like those proliferating in Michigan and other states, where text messages tell people they have unpaid road tolls. Skiba is department chair at Colorado State University Global where he oversees the Criminal Justice Department, including specializations in fraud, financial crime, and cybercrime. He discusses the psychology that prompts so many victims of online fraud to engage with scammers on smishing attempts. If you’ve been targeted, the FCC offers many tips. In April, the Michigan Department of Transportation released a video of Director Bradley C. Wieferich urging people not to respond to the texts.

As road work continues across Michigan, police are on high alert for speeding and distracted drivers causing crashes during backups. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about efforts engineers take to balance mobility and safety during active road work. Lindsey Renner, division administrator for Construction Field Services at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and a former supervisor of the Work Zone Safety section, explains the challenges. Among innovative methods in use are rumble strips to alert people as they approach a work zone, speed trailers and law enforcement employing a Ghost Rider program to identify distracted drivers. Renner also talks about the zipper merge as a means of encouraging drivers to alternate when work requires a lane to be closed. Other relevant links: MDOT Work Zone SafetyMichigan.gov/MDOT/Travel/Safety/Road-Users/Work-Zone-SafetyThe Zipper Merge Explained With Kidsyoutu.be/TLAISm1XuHQOperation Ghost Riderbridgemi.com/michigan-government/ghost-riders-lookout-distracted-drivers-michigan 

Tim Lemon, a trunkline pavement strategy specialist at the Michigan Department of Transportation, dives into the complexities of road maintenance. He explains the concept of remaining service life (RSL), a critical measure for predicting pavement durability. Tim highlights how trunklines are vital for traffic flow, carrying a significant portion of Michigan's traffic despite accounting for fewer road miles. He also discusses innovative assessment techniques for pavement conditions and the financial challenges posed by rising inflation on road maintenance.

Congressional leaders of various infrastructure committees have shown some interest in adopting a multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill, offering departments of transportation and contractors some certainty, well ahead of the current act’s expiration in 2026. Susan Howard, policy and government relations director for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), returns to the podcast to share what she’s hearing in conversations on Capitol Hill. Late last month, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves released a budget reconciliation proposal. Howard explains what that means, where the conversations will move from here and what the reduction in work force at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other U.S. Department of Transportation agencies could mean.