October 31, 2008 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) completed the final phase of bridge and road work along nearly 10 miles of I-69. All lanes on I-69 from M-13 to west of I-75 in the cities of Flint and Swartz Creek are now open to through-traffic. Work on the two-year construction project, which began in April 2007, included the reconstruction of 14 bridges along 3.9 miles of I-69 from Elms Road to west of I-75.
"Our objective in completing this project is to improve safety, operations, and the overall road condition along I-69 through Genesee County," said Mike Hemmingsen, MDOT Davison Transportation Service Center manager.
The addition of a cable median barrier on I-69, along with inclement weather, extended construction time needed. The project was originally anticipated to end in June 2008.
"We installed the median barrier to prevent severe injuries and fatalities, which often occur when vehicles cross the median," said Armando Lopez, MDOT delivery engineer.
Before installing median barriers, MDOT engineers considered a wide array of factors, including traffic speeds and volumes; accident trends; available median and shoulder space; slope of the median; barrier characteristics or type; road grade, angle and curve; along with installation and maintenance costs.
A cost benefit analysis by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) confirms that cable median barriers provide the highest benefit as a safety investment for prevention of fatal and disabling accidents. Statistics show 95 percent of cars that hit a cable barrier are stopped, preventing the vehicles from crossing the median.
"Motorists can expect increased safety and improved traffic flow for years to come," Hemmingsen said.
Crews recently removed temporary signing and traffic control items, after completing the median work required to wrap up the project. Six-S, Inc. of Waterford was the contractor on the $17.8 million project.
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45! - A message from MDOT and Michigan's Give 'em a Brake Safety Coalition
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