Governor Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects Starting This Week in Saginaw, Schoolcraft, and Clare Counties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 15, 2025

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Governor Whitmer Continues to Fix the Damn Roads with Projects Starting This Week in Saginaw, Schoolcraft, and Clare Counties

LANSING, Mich.-Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin a road repair project this week in multiple counties, including Saginaw, Schoolcraft, and Clare. These projects are expected to directly or indirectly support 35 good-paying jobs. The governor reiterated the need to pass a long-term road funding solution that will fix the damn roads and support good-paying jobs in communities across Michigan.

"Across Michigan, we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads to grow our economy, lower the cost of auto repairs, improve motorist safety, and create good-paying jobs that don't require a college degree," said Governor Whitmer. "By the end of this construction season, we will have fixed, repaired, or replaced nearly 24,500 lane miles of roads and 1,900 bridges. But our work is not done, and thousands of good-paying jobs are at stake if we don't get a long-term road funding solution for Michigan. Let's build on our momentum and pass a bipartisan, long-term local road funding plan so we can keep fixing the damn roads and building a bright future for Michigan."

M-46 (Williams Street) Resurfacing in Saginaw County

MDOT is investing approximately $180,000 to resurface westbound M-46 (Williams Street) from the Saginaw River to Michigan Avenue in the city of Saginaw. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support two jobs.

M-13 (N. Washington Avenue) Resurfacing in Saginaw County

MDOT is investing approximately $410,000 to resurface M-13 (N. Washington Avenue) from 10th Street to the railroad tracks near Potter Street in the city of Saginaw. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support four jobs.

M-77 Resurfacing in Schoolcraft County

MDOT is investing approximately $2.8 million to mill and resurface nearly 10.5 miles of M-77 from US-2 to Pine Street in Germfask, Schoolcraft County. Work includes asphalt cold milling, resurfacing, concrete sidewalk ramps, rumble strips, guardrail and pavement markings. This project includes a three-year pavement performance warranty. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 27 jobs.

US-127 BR Resurfacing in Clare County

MDOT is investing approximately $266,000 to resurface US-127 Business Route (BR) from Third Street to State Street in Clare. Work includes cold milling and overlay, drainage structure adjustments, and permanent pavement markings. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support two jobs.

Fixing the Damn Roads in Michigan

Since Governor Whitmer took office through the end of this year's construction season, Michigan will have repaired over 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges, supporting over 188,000 good-paying jobs. Over the last six years, the Governor and the Legislature have worked together to deliver six balanced, bipartisan budgets investing more than $24 billion to fix Michigan's roads and bridges, more than the previous eight years combined. These investments have been paired with actions to train thousands of workers for high-wage jobs, including in the construction industry.

However, as the Rebuilding Michigan plan and federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act near expiration, Michigan is approaching a devastating funding cliff for both state-managed and local roads. Without a long-term, bipartisan road funding solution, thousands of good-paying jobs will be at risk. Critical projects will be delayed or canceled, creating more dangerous conditions for drivers, further straining our infrastructure, and jacking up the cost of future projects.

Governor Whitmer is committed to working with anyone to fix the damn roads with the right mix and materials, so they are built to last. Recently, she sent a letter to the directors of MDOT and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity calling on them to compile and publicly release data on the impact of the state's road funding cliff and federal funding rollbacks on Michigan's unemployment. She will keep working with her legislative partners to reach a long-term deal.

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