With 2021 about behind us, Michigan Department of Transportation Director Paul Ajegba is reflecting on a busy year. Speaking on the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, he said this week the $3.5 billion in funds for road work provided by the Rebuilding Michigan plan meant smaller projects could be scaled up. Ajegba says that was the case with what would have been a “bandage project” on I-275 in Detroit.
“When the governor’s money came in, we took advantage of that and put the brake on that project, and reimagined that project,” Ajegba said. “So that project went from a $50 million job to a $275 million. I think this is money well spent because we won’t have to be in that corridor for another 30 years.”
Ajegba says with the pandemic throwing a wrench in many plans, MDOT was able to work with its contractors to keep projects going. Different contractors had different opinions.
“We’re not going to shut you down. However, if you choose to shut down for safety reasons, we will not penalize you.”
Looking to the future, Ajegba says MDOT is working with automakers to ensure the state has proper infrastructure for electric vehicles. It’s seeking bids for a charging station project. He added MDOT is designing highway projects to prepare for flooding, like what was seen in Detroit this year.
