November 5, 2009 -- Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that $1.5 million in state Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) Category A grant funding will help to create 678 jobs in Lapeer and Manistee counties. The state grants will leverage more than $48 million in private industry investment in three projects at a private/public investment ratio of 31-to-1.
"These state grants will help us grow new jobs and diversify our state's economy," said Gov. Granholm. "The business expansions in these companies in the alternative energy and automotive industries will create almost 700 new jobs in Michigan and contribute to our economic diversification efforts."
The TEDF "Category A" or "Target Industries Program" provides funding for roadway improvements to encourage private investments in Michigan that will create or retain jobs. Such improvements will help accommodate increased traffic and provide commercial routes that are safe and more efficient for new and expanding companies.
PROJECT DETAILS
Lapeer County
Kamax L.P., located in Lapeer, produces high quality cold formed metal fasteners primarily for the automotive and heavy truck industry. Kamax plans to expand its Lapeer facility and create 254 new jobs. The expansion, combined with the consolidation of two other facilities in Lapeer, will cause an increase in employee and commercial vehicle traffic to and from the facility.
Site access and the lack of an all-season route from M-24 or I-69 are obstacles to expanding the current facility. During frost law season, Kamax must rent a separate facility in Lapeer, where incoming full shipments are split in half and outgoing half shipments are combined to full shipments in order to meet weight restrictions. This double-shipment creates a significant additional cost for Kamax. The proposed project will create an all-season truck route to improve access.
The proposed road projects will include the reconstruction of Roods Lake Road from the Kamax facility to Bowers Road. A left-turn lane will be added at Bowers Road for traffic going south on Roods Lake Road to east on Bowers. Bowers Road will be reconstructed from Roods Lake Road to Wilder Road with the addition of a right-turn lane for traffic going west on Bowers Road to north on Roods Lake Road. Wilder Road will be resurfaced from Bowers Road to Imlay City Road with the addition of a left-turn lane for traffic going north on Wilder to west on Bowers Road. Finally, the existing left-turn lane will be extended for traffic going south on Wilder to east on Imlay City Road.
The cost of these improvements is $2,633,799, including $1,183,799 in state TEDF Category A funds, and $500,000 in local match from Kamax and $950,000 in Community Development Block grants funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Manistee County
Mariah Power is a small-wind, alternative energy company headquartered in Reno, Nev. Mariah Power manufactures wind turbines, registered with the name Windspire, as an alternative energy source. Mariah Power plans to locate a new production facility in Manistee and create 384 new jobs. The new facility also will produce a wind and solar-powered streetlight, the Lightspire, to replace existing electrically powered streetlights with low wattage, long-life LED lighting powered by a combination of wind and solar energy. The Lightspire has the potential to reduce electrical power costs for municipal and commercial entities.
A second company, Amptech, Inc., manufactures electronic assemblies, wire harnesses and other electronic systems to customers' specifications. Amptech specializes in products and services for manufacturers in alternative energy systems, automotive, appliances, security systems, and inventory-handling systems and supplies electronic control boards for Mariah Power and its subcontractors for the production of its Windspire and Lightspire products. Amptech has opened a new facility in Manistee and plans to create 40 new jobs.
Both facilities will increase employee and commercial traffic on Monroe Street, Glocheski Drive and Veterans Oak Grove Drive. All three roads need to be upgraded to maintain all-season access.
The city of Manistee will mill and resurface Veterans Oak Grove Drive and Glocheski Drive to provide all season access to Mariah Power and Amptech facilities. In addition, two curves on Glocheski Drive will be realigned to enable large trucks to maneuver through the curves without crossing into opposing traffic lanes. MDOT will mill and resurface Monroe Street as part of the proposed all season truck route.
The cost of these improvements is $480,500, including $378,000 in state TEDF Category A funds, $49,500 in local match from the city of Manistee and $53,000 from MDOT's North Region.
MDOT says: Remember - in Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!
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