It's nearly Michigan Walk & Roll to School Day!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2023

CONTACT

Mary Moomaw
Director of Safe Routes to School
517-908-3848 

Michigan Walk & Roll to School Day

LANSING, MI — Michigan students will join children from around the globe to celebrate Bike & Roll to School Day (BR2SD) on Wednesday, May 3. The event is being promoted by Safe Routes to School (SRTS) at Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF), a federally legislated program administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). SRTS programs are designed to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children and their families to walk, roll and bike to school. 

“Bike & Roll to School Day is a great way for communities to come together and celebrate healthy ways to get around. The event presents an opportunity for local leaders and families to meet in real time and build a dialogue around walking and biking to school safely,” said SRTS Director Mary Moomaw. “We encourage participants to keep these conversations going beyond the day of the event and explore extensions with a Safe Routes to School initiative.” 

As a component of SRTS programming, BR2SD emphasizes the importance of pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and is a way for families, schools, and the broader community to connect.

“We are always excited to work with the Michigan Fitness Foundation on Bike & Roll to School Day,” said Mike Kapp, Administrator, in the Office of Economic Development at MDOT. “Hosting a Bike & Roll to School Day event is a wonderful way to show students the benefits of walking, biking, and rolling to school, and often encourages a larger Safe Routes to School effort.”   

Formerly called Bike to School Day, the name change acknowledges inclusion and equity by encouraging all students to safely walk, bike, or roll to school by being active through whatever means they choose.

The first event was held nationally in 2012 in conjunction with the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Month. They modeled it after Walk & Roll to School Day, an international event that began in 1997 by the  Partnership for a Walkable America to bring attention and visibility for safe routes to school. In addition to the official event date, many communities choose to designate the entire month as an acknowledgement to active transportation. 

BR2SD events can be as straightforward or as grand as schools want to plan — from simply inviting students to walk or roll to school, to hosting a bike parade, or organizing a bike train. 

There is still time for schools to register for the event, and all registered schools receive planning assistance from MFF SRTS program staff. To register, visit saferoutesmichigan.org/bike-to-school-day/.

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About Michigan Fitness Foundation
The mission of Michigan Fitness Foundation and the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports is to inspire active lifestyles and healthy food choices through education, environmental change, community events and policy leadership. For more information, visit michiganfitness.org.

About Safe Routes to School
The federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program was created by Congress in August 2005 as part of the federal transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU. Currently, SRTS activities are eligible for Transportation Alternatives program funding as authorized by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST ACT) in December 0f 2015. Michigan’s SRTS program is managed by the Michigan Department of Transportation with support from Michigan Fitness Foundation. SRTS grant funds can support both infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects. For more information, visit saferoutesmichigan.org.

About Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for Michigan’s nearly 10,000-mile state highway system, comprised of all M, I, and US-routes. It is the backbone of Michigan’s 120,000-mile highway, road, and street network. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/MDOT/Travel/Safety.                            

Midland's Barstow Airport hosts Aviation College and Career Day April 29th

The Midland chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association invites you to our Aviation College and Career Day at the Jack Barstow Airport on Saturday, April 29, from 10 am to 1 pm. You'll be able to connect with:

• Career representatives

• Flight school representatives

• University representatives

Careers represented include: professional airline pilot, flight instructor, airport management, airplane mechanic, air traffic controller, avionics specialist, and more!

If you are interested in beginning your flight training journey, representatives of Slipstream Aviation, our local flight school, can point you in the right direction and representatives from various higher educational institutions can assist with first steps in other careers.

This event is located in the EAA building, which is the first left on Barstow drive off 2800 Airport Rd. in Midland.

City of Midland to host public open house meetings on Ashman & Rodd two-way conversion

Residents are invited to explore this unique opportunity to analyze the future of Midland’s street network during upcoming public open houses later this month. 

At each open house, attendees can view sample design renderings, share their input, ask questions about impacts to their daily lives and City services, and learn more about transition plans if a conversion were to be implemented. Staff will also be on-hand to discuss how two-way streets provide potential positive impacts to economic development, traffic flow, and safety for both motorists and pedestrians. 

Sessions will be held on the following dates: 

• Tuesday, April 18: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 5 – 7 p.m. at the Midland Law Enforcement Center, 2727 Rodd Street

• Wednesday, April 19: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 5 – 7 p.m. at the Midland Law Enforcement Center, 2727 Rodd Street

• Thursday, April 20: 2 – 4 p.m. at the Northwood Idea Center, 102 E. Main Street 

An online survey will be offered in early May on the City’s public engagement platform, E-CityHall, that will gather input on topics similar to those addressed at the open houses. 

For more information, see Ashman & Rodd Corridor Conversion | Midland, MI - Official Website (cityofmidlandmi.gov)

MATS Releases Draft FY 2024 Unified Work Program

MATS has release the draft version of the FY 2024 Unified Work Program (UWP) document for public review. The FY 2024 Unified Work Program (UWP)describes the transportation planning tasks and activities scheduled for the period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024to be performed by the MATS staff, in coordination with Transit Operators, local agencies, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). 

Take a minute to read the draft report, and send us a comment.

US-10 Business Route and Wackerly Road Intersection Improvements in City of Midland Start April 10

BAY CITY, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will invest $1.5 million to build dedicated thru and right turn lane on northbound US-10 Business Route (BR)/Eastman Road)/Wackerly Road and a dedicated right turn lane on westbound Wackerly Street. This work includes signal modernizations and improvements compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

County:
Midland

Highway:
US-10 Business Route (BR)

Closest city:
Midland

Start date:
Monday, April 10, 2023

Estimated end date:
Thursday, June 29, 2023

Traffic restrictions:
The roadwork and sidewalk improvements will be completed using single-lane closures and traffic shifts. Turning movements at the intersection will be restricted during construction.

Jobs numbers:
Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support nearly 18 jobs.

Safety benefit:
This work will improve operations at the intersection of US-10 BR/Wackerly Street, while addressing ADA improvements necessary to improve pedestrian safety on the sidewalks.

Driving safely in work zones saves lives!
Protect MI work zones by taking the pledge.

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Barstow Airport and EAA Promote Aviation

Catalyst Midland (www.secondwavemedia.com) reports on the collaboration between Midland’s Barstow Airport the the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association to promote careers and interest in aviation.

Barstow Airport/ EAA

Have you heard of a hidden gem? Have you ever found one? A hidden gem is defined as something possessing a value or beauty that is not immediately apparent, which therefore has received far less recognition than it deserves. I’ve lived in Midland Country my whole life and I’ve only just discovered a hidden gem for myself in Barstow Airport. For those who have known of the wonderful programs and activities that this community area provides, I applaud you. For those like me who never knew all the wonders of this community gem, I invite you to learn more about your community airport. 
The Jack Barstow Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport located in the City of Midland. “This is truly the community's airport,” says Sarah Pagano, airport manager, “It is open to the community to use to learn and discover more about aviation.” Pagano says that the airport's mission is to, “Inspire, encourage, and support aviation.” Barstow airport is an important part of our community’s infrastructure, supporting medical flights and agriculture aircraft as well. 

The EAA chapter at Barstow offers flights for veterans.

While being home to over 40 aircraft hangers supporting nearly 20,000 operations (takeoffs and landings) each year, the Barstow airport has become known for their unique place in the Midland community. “This is for you,” Pagano says of the community spaces on the Barstow property. The Midland Community Aviation Discovery Area (MCADA) is a play space for kids of all ages to see, sit, and learn about aviation. In this MCADA area, which is open to the public, visitors are welcome to explore an aircraft, watch airplanes take off and land on one of the two runways at Barstow. In the summer, it is not uncommon to see community members using thepavilion in the MCADA area for parties and get togethers, or hanging out in the airport terminal for a visit with fellow aviation enthusiasts. 

A future pilot?

In addition to being the Airport Manager, Pagano is the President of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1093. Pagano says that the EAA’s mission is to, “share the spirit of aviation.” Through the chapter’s partnership with the Barstow airport, they are able to do that in a number of ways. The EAA chapter and its members assist the airport sponsored events that include a 5K along the airfield, an aviation Camp for 10th-12th graders, and a Flight Night program which is a collaboration with Midland Public Schools 3rd graders. The Flight Night for 3rd graders is set up in the MCADA area, where the students attend different learning stations to build their knowledge about aviation. The aviation camp is where Pagano credits her first introduction to aviation in 2001, and 22 years later she is working where she started her journey and is excited everyday to share her passion for aviation with others. 
Arian Perez is a student pilot who is working toward her pilot license with the goal to be a flight instructor. She is the Vice President and Publicity Chair of EAA Chapter 1093. When asked why Perez is so passionate about aviation and sharing her passion with others, she says, “Flying checks all the boxes, fun, growth, education, freedom, adventure, a little bit of danger, it's challenging, problem solving, and never the same.” Perez also says, through learning about aviation and attending the flight school, she “has met some great people.” 

The EAA is building a RV12 Kit airplane.

EAA Chapter 1093 focuses on education, anyone can join the chapter, you don’t have to be a pilot, just be someone who wants to learn more about aviation. Monthly meetings include expert speakers in the aviation field, and chapter members are currently working together to build an aircraft. They meet on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. They are working to build  a RV12 Kit Airplane. Perez says that, “Many of the pilots (she has met) have built their own aircraft.” 
With education being one of the main goals of the EAA chapter, a biannual Pancake Breakfast, which brings in around 700 community members, is served as a fundraiser for their scholarship program for future pilots. In addition to the scholarship program, the EAA Chapter also sponsors a Santa fly-in, a Trick-or-Treating event held on the airfield called “Props and Treats”, and flights for Veterans. The  pilots also volunteer their time for the Young Eagles Program. Young Eagles Days occurs on the  second Saturday of each month. The next session is this Saturday, March 11, from 9am-Noon.  This program was created with the sole mission to introduce and inspire kids in the world of aviation. These air flights are open to children age 8-17, to register for your child's free flight, visit YoungEaglesDay.org
On the second Sunday of each month at 3pm, Pagano hosts ‘“Airport Storytime”. It’s geared toward toddlers and younger elementary students. Children who attend the monthly storytime will enjoy snacks and a craft while also hearing aviation stories. This monthly event is open to the public. 

The flight school on site at Barstow airport is named Slipstream Aviation. This is a Part 61 flight school with 3 instructors educating on 4 aircrafts. Slipstream offers private license, commercial license, instrument reading and Flight Instructor Certification (CFI). Aviation as a career is growing, and Slipstream is passionate about helping anyone interested in aviation get started. Slipstream offers discovery flights, which are introductory lessons with an instructor. Perez says, “You don’t have to commit to flight training after the discovery flight, this could be a great gift for a friend or family member.” 

An aviation camp is held for 10th-12th graders at Barstow.

The Barstow airport has many things to offer community members of all ages, “You can walk in anytime, I don't think the community realizes how many great things we do here at the airport,” says Perez. 
The Jack Barstow Municipal Airport and EAA Chapter 1093 are located at 6603 Barstow Drive in Midland. The airport is accessed from Airport Road between Sturgeon and Eastman Roads. It borders the Midland County Fairgrounds. The airport is named for a Midland based pilot who learned about aviation from Orville Wright, one of the Wright brothers, American aviation pioneers.  To learn more about community events and offerings at Barstow, call (989) 835-3231 or check out their Facebook page. 

City of Midland 2023 Road Construction Schedule Announced

The City of Midland Engineering Department is ramping up for another busy construction season in 2023 with a variety of street reconstruction, resurfacing, and water main replacement projects on this year’s list.

Planned high-traffic improvements include street reconstruction projects on E. Patrick Road from Waldo Avenue to the US-10 overpass and E. Ashman Street from Swede Avenue to Waldo Avenue.

Projects on local streets include street reconstruction and water main replacements on Hamilton Drive and Hancock Drive from Jay Street to Clay Street; street reconstructions on Canterbury Drive from Greenbrier Terrace to Lawndale Drive, Dina Street from Rapanos Drive to Wyllys Street, Tennessee Street and Kentucky Street from Maryland Street to Ohio Street, and W. Hines Street from Ashman Street to Fitzhugh Street; and a mill-and-fill program on both major and local streets.

The City anticipates street and lane closures during projects and detours will be posted if necessary. A complete list of 2023 City projects and their estimated months of start and completion is below. 

For more information, contact City Engineering at 989-837-3348 or visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/engineering. Project updates will be made available during construction season at http://bit.ly/midlandroads. Residents may also receive updates on the City of Midland’s social media channels by searching @CityofMidlandMI on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Update: Annual spring weight restrictions changing on some Michigan roads

LANSING, Mich. ­- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) continues to adjust annual spring weight restriction areas in an annual move to protect roads.

Effective 6 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, weight restrictions will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways within the following area of Michigan:

- Highways north of a line on M-43 in the city of South Haven, then east on M-43 to US-131 in Kalamazoo County, then south on US-131 to I-94 in Kalamazoo County, then east on I-94 to I-69 in Calhoun County, then north on I-69 to I-96 in Lansing, then east on I-96 to M-59 in Livingston County, then east on M-59 ending at the I-94 interchange in Macomb County.

- Highways south of a line on M-55 from the US-31 intersection in Manistee County east to M-66 in Missaukee County, then north on M-66 to M-55 in Missaukee County, then east on M-55 to the intersection of US-23 in Tawas in Iosco County.

All state trunk lines between these two lines will have weight restrictions imposed and enforced. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.

In the restricted areas, the following will apply:

- On routes designated as "all-season" (designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be no reduction in legal axle weights.

- On routes designated as "seasonal" (designated in solid or dashed red on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be a posted weight reduction of 25 percent for rigid (concrete) pavements and 35 percent for flexible (asphalt) pavements.

- All extended permits will be valid for oversize loads in the weight-restricted area on the restricted routes. Single-trip permits will not be issued for any overweight loads or loads exceeding 14 feet in width, 11 axles, and 150 feet in overall length on the restricted routes.

When roads that have been frozen all winter begin to thaw from the surface downward, melting snow and ice saturate the softened ground. During the spring thaw, the roadbed softened by trapped moisture beneath the pavement makes it more susceptible to damage. This contributes to pothole problems already occurring due to this winter's numerous freeze-thaw cycles.

MDOT determines when weight restrictions begin each spring by measuring frost depths along state highways, observing road conditions, and monitoring weather forecasts. Weight restrictions remain in effect until the frost line is deep enough to allow moisture to escape and the roadbeds regain stability.

County road commissions and city public works departments put in place their own seasonal weight restrictions, which usually, but not always, coincide with state highway weight restrictions. Signs are generally posted to indicate which routes have weight restrictions in effect.

For weight restriction information and updates, call 800-787-8960, or you can access this information on MDOT's website at www.Michigan.gov/Truckers, under "Restrictions and Conditions." All-season routes are designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map, which is available online. You also may sign up to receive e-mail alerts.

Trucking companies located in New Jersey and Canada can obtain information by calling 517-373-6256. 

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