Livingston Today

The state unanimously approved borrowing up to $3.5 billion for funding to fix state highways and bridges, and more than $223 million will be used to repair portions of Interstate 96 and US-23 in Livingston County, according to reports by MSN and Livingston Daily.

Although that funding will help the Michigan Department of Transportation to increase the value of its road and bridge plan to $7.3 billion (up from $3.9 billion), Chief Administrative Officer Laura Mester told members of the State Transportation Commission that a long-term solution is still needed. 

 “This will not fix all of our roads and bridges,” Mester said.

The bond plan was first announced in the State of the State address, on Jan. 29.

Livingston County projects in 2022 for Brighton and Hartland Township will include repair of US-23 north of Spencer Road to M-59 (estimated cost: $39 million); and in In Green Oak Township, rebuilding US-23 bridge over M-36 (estimated cost:  $14 million).

In 2023 the county's projects include rebuilding I-96 from Chilson Road to Dorr Road in Genoa Township (estimated cost: $ 68.2 million); and in Brighton Township, repairing US-23 from M-36 north to I-96 (estimated cost: $104.2 million).

Mester told commissioners that over the next four years, revenue bonds to be sold are expected to have 25-year paybacks and interest rates between 2.5 and 3.5 percent.

This funding will complement the decision by Livingston County Road officials in 2019 to dedicate $26.4 million to repair roads and bridges, in addition to trail and sidewalk projects.  The entity that will pay for project costs depends on the project, according to a report from MSN. County officials adopted their budget for 2020 on Dec. 30.

Those projects aren’t the only road improvements that are expected to occur in Livingston County, though – the commission budgeted around $50.5 million for roadwork, maintenance, administration expenses and equipment for the 2020 year.

Livingston Daily reports that there are more than a dozen primary and local bridges that are slated for repair in 2020, and several non-motorized projects as well.