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Transportation Review Unit's services

Transportation Review Unit's services

Please contact Jim Watling, 517-599-9002, if you have questions about the Transportation Review Unit's services.

The Transportation Review Unit (TRU) of the Water Resources Division reviews permit applications submitted by Public Transportation Agencies under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Michigan Department of Transportation and EGLE.

Unit Services

As part of the Water Resources Division, this unit is responsible for three main areas:

  • Provide environmental review and permit processing for new or replacement bridges, culverts, and road projects for Public Transportation Agencies (PTA(s)).
  • Provide hydraulic review and support for new or replacement bridges and culverts for PTA(s).
  • Provide environmental review and permit processing for public airports.

Requests for TRU Services

If you are a PTA or working on a PTA project, requests for TRU services must be submitted via the MiEnviro online system.  The following TRU request forms are available in MiEnviro (tip: use the filter box in MiEnviro forms to filter for “Transportation”):

  • “Public Transportation Projects EGLE/USACE Joint Permit Application (JPA)” – This form is similar to the JPA used for other non-PTA projects except that it is routed to TRU for processing and does not charge the standard processing fees pursuant to the Transportation MOU. 
  • “Voluntary Transportation Preliminary Review Request” -  This form is used to request staff to conduct a preliminary site inspection and provide feedback prior to design and submission of a JPA.  It is also used to submit preliminary hydraulics for TRU review.
  • “Transportation Permit Revision Request Form” -  This form should be submitted if you need to revise a permit TRU has previously issued.
  • “Transportation Service Request – T&E Species Map/Data Review (Preliminary Desktop Review)”  -  This form should be submitted if you just need a database search for state-listed Threatened & Endangered Species at a particular project location.  Note that T&E searches are included with all the above services as well.  This request is often submitted for projects located in upland areas that won’t require a resource permit but require documentation for project funding that T&E species have been determined not likely to be present.

For a list of key contacts, check out the staff directory.

Projects are reviewed under authority of the following parts of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended and rules promulgated by the Water Resources Division: