Interstate 75 in Oakland County, Courtesy of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)
In a region as large and varied as Southeast Michigan, making decisions about transportation projects requires comprehensive and coordinated analysis and planning.
Investments in transportation projects ensure that our region’s transportation network safely and effectively enables people, goods, and materials to reach the places they need to go. In July, SEMCOG approved the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (or TIP) for Southeast Michigan, FY 2020-2023.
The TIP is one of the primary tools used to implement the long-range plan, the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan for Southeast Michigan (or RTP). The TIP is a schedule of specific projects derived from the RTP’s policies and project priorities that will be implemented by cities, villages, county road agencies, transit providers, and the Michigan Department of Transportation over a four-year period.
The 2020-2023 TIP contains more than 600 projects, totaling more than $3.2 billion (representing $2.1 billion in federal, $429 million in state, and $680 million in local/other funds). As detailed below, the TIP includes a variety of projects designed to address regional transportation policies and priorities, including:
- 236 pavement projects
- 101 traffic operations projects, e.g., traffic signal retiming and intelligent transportation systems (ITS)
- 86 traffic safety projects
- 79 bridge projects
- 73 transit capital projects
- 52 transit operations projects
- 20 capacity projects
- 15 pedestrian and bike projects
- 3 enhancement and environmental projects
View the full list of TIP projects.
As seen in the chart below, investment in preservation (resurfacing and reconstruction) of existing roads is the top priority at approximately 27 percent. When choosing projects, Southeast Michigan transportation agencies use an asset management process (i.e., applying the right fix at the right time) to determine where to make the greatest impact with limited funding resources.
SEMCOG is keenly aware of the region’s road needs. Our projections indicate that road construction funding in the region needs to increase by $1.2 billion per year for 25 years to improve roads to 80 percent good or fair condition. It will take an additional $250 million per year over that time period to get roads to 90 percent good or fair. These figures represent only the needs for the seven-county SEMCOG region and only for Federal-aid-eligible roads. It does not include the costs of addressing secondary roads or residential streets, which comprise more than 60 percent of the region’s road system.
The next significant areas of investment are bridge restoration at 11 percent and traffic operations (e.g., signals and Intelligent Transportation Systems) at five percent, followed by pedestrian and bicycle (nonmotorized) projects.
Breakdown of 2020-2023 TIP (in $millions)
Total transit investment, at approximately $922 million, will remain consistent with current levels. Transit funding falls into two categories – capital projects and funding dedicated to operating the transit systems. As with transit agencies throughout the country, far more is expended for transit operations in Southeast Michigan than for capital items (more than $272 million).
While this investment will certainly help make our daily trips safer and more efficient, it is imperative that we find long-term funding solutions to implement enhanced regional transit and bring our roadways and other infrastructure up to the level necessary to make this region thrive now and into the future.
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