Talking Michigan Transportation

Michigan Department of Transportation

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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25 episodes
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Avg 27 min
English

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S8 · E288
October 14 · 19 min
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 the death of a county worker last week in Eaton County. Police pointed to this incident as part of a rising, preventable trend of distracted driving and speeding where road crews are working. Michigan State Police Lt. Rene Gonzalez told media outlets, "This was no mistake; it was a preventable crash," urging all motorists to remain entirely focused, reduce their speed and give crews the safe clearance they need to do their jobs. While authorities continue to emphasize driver responsibility and the need for extra vigilance when driving where work is going on, the reprised podcast with Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Chief Operations Officer Gregg Brunner also touches on advancements in technology to protect workers and drivers.
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S8 · E287
October 7 · 24 min
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) on roads, sidewalks and trails. Several bills have been introduced recently to further regulate the bikes. Tim Gates, a professor in civil and environmental engineering at Michigan State University who has researched the topic, offers his insights. Federal law defines e-bikes as bicycles if they have a motor less than 750 watts and a speed limit of 20 mph. However, state laws vary, with some requiring registration, helmets or restricted usage in specific areas. Under Michigan law (MCL 257.13e), an e-bike has: A seat or saddle Fully operable pedals An electric motor of 750 watts or less An e-bike that meets these standards is treated like a bicycle. You don’t need a license, registration or insurance to ride one. Michigan’s 2017 e-bike law sorts e-bikes into three classes, which set the top assisted speed and whether the bike can use a throttle. Class 1: The motor helps only while you pedal, up to 20 mph. Class 2: The motor can also run on a throttle, up to 20 mph. Class 3: The motor helps only while you pedal, up to 28 mph. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has approved class 1 and class 2 (for mobility only) e-bikes on select DNR-managed trails. That expansion followed months of collaborative research and discussion with trail users and organizations.
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S8 · E286
September 30 · 41 min
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 River in Grand Rapids. First, Matt Chapman, executive director of Grand Rapids Whitewater, talks about the history of the river (Michigan’s longest at 252 miles), why dams were installed and the why the rapids were cleared in the first place. He also talks about the unique opportunity to provide benefits to the environment, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in a river that falls 18 feet within the city of Grand Rapids. Later, former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, long a champion of the project, shares her recollections of 18 years of work to move the project forward and why it was so important to her. She touts the economic benefits as well as the river’s role as a connector rather than a divider in the city. Bliss also talks about the spiritual significance of the Owashtanong to the first inhabitants of the city.
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S8 · E285
September 24 · 21 min
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 installed roundabouts at various intersections, when appropriate, for several years. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with MDOT Engineer of Traffic Safety Garrett Dawe about the life-saving benefits of roundabouts. According to the FHWA, roundabouts reduce intersection crashes resulting in death or injury by an average of 82 percent. They also reduce traffic delays by 62 to 74 percent while often costing less than traditional signalized intersections over their lifespan due to lower maintenance and operational requirements. Several cities across Michigan and in several other states have been aggressive about installing roundabouts. One in Indiana, in particular, is considered the roundabout capital of the United States.
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S8 · E284
September 17 · 32 min
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 popular tourist route in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Following completion of a $300,000 project to stabilize the slope beneath a section of M-119 near West Stutsmanville Road damaged in the spring flooding, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced in early September that it has reopened M-119 between West Stutsmanville Road and Terpening Road. This map shows current status and detour routes. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation, an update from MDOT North Region Engineer Bill Wahl on work that’s been completed on M-119 and what long-term challenges remain for the corridor. He also talks about some of the other roads in MDOT's North Region damaged in the spring flooding. Finally, Wahl offers details on construction of a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at the I-75/M-32 intersection in Gaylord. The first such interchange to be built in northern lower Michigan, a DDI is an alternative interchange that improves safety, increases traffic flow and can reduce construction costs.
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S8 · E283
September 10 · 20 min
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 episode from 2024 featuring a discussion with Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Public Information Officer Ed Golder. Golder talked about the decline in deer harvests being reported by hunters and an innovative program, now called Hunters Feeding Michigan, a name change from what was mentioned in the original podcast. Since then, Golder says the MDNR is doing more than ever to help farmers get deer off their land. I hope you enjoy this encore presentation. The podcast covers themes featured in a Detroit Free Press story detailing other creative efforts by the MDNR to stem the proliferation of deer in the state’s southern regions. Golder explained the challenges and how wildlife officials are tackling them. Podcast image courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
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S8 · E282
September 2 · 21 min
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 injuries and billions of dollars in property damage. Officials in Michigan hope to join other states in finding creative ways to address the problem. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Amanda Novak, a resource specialist at the Michigan Department of Transportation, talks about her work in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to study these collisions and ways to create safer crossings. Environment America reports that a survey of Americans about their views on wildlife crossings found that nearly 90 percent of them support the concept. Other relevant links: https://www.pew.org/en/trust/archive/summer-2026/states-act-to-reduce-wildlife-collisions https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/wildlife-crossings Podcast Photo by Da-shika on Unsplash
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S8 · E281
August 27 · 25 min
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 consultant selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to study and eventually pilot transitioning Michigan’s primary road funding formula to an RUC instead of the gas tax. The Michigan Legislature in 2025 directed MDOT to begin the study and pilot program. Roberts provided a project overview and the tasks ahead, including project management, planning and procurement, statewide public outreach and education, legislative engagement, operational pilot, revenue modeling and, finally, findings and completion of a report. She also talks about what she’s learned from other states in various phases of studying or piloting alternative methods of paying for transportation, as discussed on the podcast previously with the Washington, D.C.-based Mileage Based User Fee Alliance (MBUFA).
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S8 · E280
August 20 · 25 min
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. Muller talks about her recent reporting on Amazon’s Zoox (pronounced "zooks") robotaxis. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted a temporary exemption to commercially deploy up to 2,500 robotaxis annually for two years. All of this comes as Waymo, Uber and other companies make investments in the rapidly evolving automated vehicle (AV) industry and encounter hiccups along the way. Muller also talks about a recent road trip she made through Wisconsin in a Rivian R2. She was pleased to find a robust charging network eliminating any range anxiety. She was also impressed with Rivian’s use of adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlights and talked about why the technology has been developed more slowly in the U.S. From the newsletter: A decade after shape-shifting headlights changed nighttime driving in Europe, the technology remains remarkably scarce in North America - a case study in how U.S. regulations can slow the arrival of proven safety innovations. Photo by Remy Gieling on Unsplash
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S8 · E279
August 12 · 41 min
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. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations with two people who played important roles in the earliest days of conceiving and planning what became the GHIB. First, Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) from 2006 to 2018, talks about the early planning and discussions about a location, environmental clearance and why it took so long as the name changed from the Detroit International Trade Crossing (DRIC) to the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) to finally becoming the GHIB. Steudle recalls the support and advocacy from previous Michigan governors, Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s work to get the project over the finish line. The discussion includes some observations from a Detroit News story outlining the timeline and battles. Later, Mohammed Alghurabi, a senior project manager at MDOT who led community outreach efforts and built vital relationships in the southwest Detroit neighborhood where the bridge is anchored on the U.S. side, recalls the trials and tribulations and his thrill at seeing the bridge open to traffic.
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S8 · E278
August 6 · 30 min
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, talks about completion of the first of four components to fulfill long-time hopes to improve the flow of traffic at the bridge. Officials from MDOT, the City of Port Huron and others are celebrating the completion of Component 1 and highlight a sound wall and pedestrian path completed as part of the larger plaza expansion project. This component came with a $36.3 million investment, including a $25 million federal INFRA grant. Also discussed was the bridge’s rich history.
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S8 · E277
July 22 · 23 min
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 Infrastructure (NEVI) program. Michigan was fortunate to receive $110 million of those funds. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Steve Minton, who heads the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Office of Major Projects, provides an update on progress in executing contracts and installing chargers across the state’s NEVI program. Minton helped launch the MDOT program and offers his insights on the challenges and rewards of contracting, installation and meeting the needs of electric vehicle users.
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S8 · E276
July 15 · 27 min
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 needed on existing routes, and how the system can better meet the needs of the 21st century traveling public. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced this new initiative during a June 30 media event that also celebrated the 70th anniversary of the “Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways,” created when President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, along with the unveiling of “Freedom 250” highway signs in celebration of that anniversary. On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), who participated in the event, talks about what the Interstate system has meant to the country and what could come out of the initiative. The initiative will spur renewed conversation about the benefits of the system as well as some unintended consequences and focus on ideas for improvement.
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S8 · E275
July 9 · 26 min
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 agreement reached last week between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders. The budget negotiations also produced an agreement to advance Senate Bill 71 to the governor’s desk. The bill ensures that unauthorized individuals who illegally climb or breach restricted portions of the Mackinac Bridge will face enhanced penalties. Wieferich also offers an update on the Rebuilding Michigan program with many projects completed but some major work ongoing across the state, including I-94 west of Detroit, another segment of I-475 in Genesee County, an extension of the US-23 Flex Route in Livingston County, I-96 in Ionia County and I-94 in Berrien County.
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S8 · E274
July 1 · 32 min
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 tourist route in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with State Sen. John Damoose (Harbor Springs), who represents the area, and Bill Wahl, acting North Region engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation. (MDOT). MDOT is already investing $300,000 to stabilize the slope beneath a section of M-119 near West Stutsmanville Road, between Harbor Springs and Good Hart in Emmet County, damaged in the spring flooding. Now, engineers are assessing other sections of the roadway washed out by heavy rains on Monday, June 29, as well as sections of M-66 and M-88 in Antrim County. Wahl provides a status report on each of the washouts and short- and long-term planning for both. Sen. Damoose talks about his conversations with business owners and other constituents affected by the road closures and the ongoing challenges to fund sustainable infrastructure in Michigan.
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S8 · E273
June 25 · 22 min
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 Transportation. (MDOT). Townley explains the safety and economic benefits of partnering with Michigan universities on research and why it’s important to MDOT. One specific project discussed examined the value of financing infrastructure improvements through bonding versus a program of pay-go improvements.
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S8 · E272
June 12 · 19 min
Reprise: The people behind a most iconic international handshake
By now, you may have seen a photo taken high above the Detroit River of two iron workers, one from Canada and one from the United States, shaking hands to mark the completion of the deck on the Gordie Howe International Bridge. On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with those iron workers, Jason Huggett of Canada and Casey Whitson of Michigan. Both are second-generation iron workers. Jason’s father helped build the twin span of the Blue Water Bridge linking Port Huron, Michigan, with Sarnia, Ontario. Casey’s father worked on the Renaissance Center in Detroit as well as Joe Louis Arena. They talk about what working on this once-in-a-lifetime project means to both of them and how honored each of them was to participate in the handshake. They each spoke about it to the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority after the handshake: Said Huggett: “I said it was about time we got to shake hands after seeing each other from a distance for almost two years, it was really something special. That handshake means a lot to my family, my two sons and my father, who helped build the twin span for the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia.” And Whitson: “We would see each other, but we were far, across the river, apart for all these months working. To actually get to be able to meet each other and shake hands and say hello is really cool. It’s the biggest moment in my career and I now share something with my father, who helped build the Renaissance Center in Detroit.”
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S8 · E271
June 4 · 30 min
ITSA meetings to showcase transportation innovation in Detroit
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA) convenes its annual conference in Detroit next week, so John Peracchio, a member of the Michigan Transportation Commission and a long-time participant in the ITSA, returns to the podcast to talk about what to expect. In its mission statement, the organization “is a leading nonprofit uniting government, industry and academia to champion policies and investments that make our transportation systems safer, more innovative and more efficient. We work with agencies and industry leaders to advance technology-driven solutions that improve how people and goods move - enhancing quality of life, supporting a thriving economy and maintaining America’s global competitiveness.” Peracchio talks about what that means and how ITSA's work can ultimately reduce crashes.
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S8 · E270
May 21 · 26 min
U.S. House makes progress on transportation funding
On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Susan Howard, director of government relations and policy for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), talks about the highlights of the latest federal surface transportation bill making its way through the legislative process. Leaders of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week formally introduced the BUILD America 250 Act, a bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that invests in America’s roads, bridges, transit, rail transportation, and highway and motor carrier safety programs. With a dollar figure of $580 billion for five years, the bill preserves the core federal-aid formula program structure, puts emphasis on project delivery and streamlining, makes major increases in bridge investments and restructures some climate and equity programs.
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S8 · E269
May 14 · 33 min
Legislation aims to teach new drivers how to navigate work zones
This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation highlights proposed legislation to include driving through work zones as a focus of driver’s training curriculums. House Bill 5767 would amend the Driver Education Provider and Instructor Act to provide, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, that all participants in a driver education course must complete a work zone safety education course, developed in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and approved by the Department of State (DOS). First, Brian Sarkella, chapter president for the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), talks about his advocacy for the legislation and testimony he provided to a Michigan House committee on Tuesday, May 12. Later, Tom Robins of Work Zone Safe talks about his work to adopt legislation in work zone driver’s training in Oklahoma and how it has informed efforts in other states.
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