Michigan unveils long-range transportation plan

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced the release of the state's 2005-2030 long-range transportation plan (MI Transportation Plan) on June 29. Two years in the making, the plan is based on an unprecedented amount of public input and guidance from Michigan business, government and customer stakeholders.

More than 3,000 people attended public workshops and 2,600 submitted an online questionnaire, while another 3,300 households participated in a telephone survey to share their vision for Michigan's transportation future.

"MI Transportation Plan will help determine how scarce resources, time and effort are spent over the next 25 years to make important decisions about transportation choices," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "This plan is designed to strengthen the link between transportation and the economy now and well into the future. With input provided at every stage of the planning process, the plan is intelligent, inclusive, integrated, international, and socially, environmentally and economically responsible."

"Michigan residents want more travel choices, and better connectivity between modes. We learned that there is a significant gap between the public's expectations for transportation in Michigan and our ability to meet those expectations. That is a challenge for this decade and beyond," Steudle said.

The document was recently submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and is thought to be the nation's first fully SAFETEA-LU Compliant Long Range Transportation Plan submitted prior to the July 1 deadline. The plan is now available on the MDOT website at: http://www.michigan.gov/slrp.