Proponents push for U.S. 127 completion
Commuters tired of the nearly 16 miles of 55 mph highway along U.S. 127 between Mount Pleasant and Lansing could be in for a surprise.
The state Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment last week directing the Michigan Department of Transportation to make the road stretch a 70 mph expressway between St. Johns and Ithaca.
Project proponents say the roadwork and speed-limit increase could improve economic development prospects for Gratiot County.
MDOT has placed the project on their five year plan, but Senate Republicans pushed the amendment, hoping to speed the process along.
It will still need to get approval by the full Senate and the House before going to Gov. Jennifer Granholm for a signature.
Originally planned for completion in the late 1960s, continued work on the 16-mile stretch has been tabled year after year, said Don Schurr, president of Greater Gratiot Development, Inc. and chair of the U.S. 127 Action Association.
U.S. 127 was established as a highway route in the mid 1920s from Lansing to Cheboygan. In 1966 the roadway was completed as a limited access expressway from Ithaca north to Grayling.
MDOT seems to run out of money every time completing the road comes up and "it's kind of sad because it creates losses for our area," said Mark Knowles, chairman of the Gratiot County Board of Commissioners.
Knowles said many people avoid the 55 mph strip over fears of get pulled over and ticketed for speeding.
This causes a loss of revenue for local businesses, Schurr said, and companies also avoid locating to the area because of the lack of freeway transportation.
"It would be much easier if that was a four-lane highway," Knowles said.
The amendment was pushed by Senators Roger Kahn R -Saginaw, Majority Floor Leader Alan Cropsey R-DeWitt, and Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Howell.
"We want to continually increase access for residents and tourists," said Kristyn Ladd, spokeswoman for the Senate Republicans. The 2010 MDOT budget is still in the state House, and if passed, will be voted on by the Senate.
"(Granholm) has vetoed similar language in the past," said Eric Dean, head of transportation policy for Senator Kahn.
However, money is currently the largest obstacle for the road construction. Legislators had hoped that stimulus money would go toward the project, though now that isn't looking as likely.
"We felt with all of the talk of the stimulus money and the economic conditions continuing to spiral, it was a good time to get it back on MDOT's radar," Dean said.
metro@cm-life.com
