Michigan Receives $50 Million in Federal Funding to Protect Communities Against Natural Hazards

Funding Will Help Make Roads More Resilient, Sustainable and Safe for Michiganders

LANSING, Mich.— Today, Governor Whitmer joined the U.S Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to announce that three Michigan projects have been selected to receive a combined $50 million in federal funding from the U.S. DOT’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost saving Transportation (PROTECT) program. Thanks to the leadership and vision of the Biden Administration and the federal congressional delegation members who supported crucial infrastructure bills, this funding will help communities make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, like climate and flooding, ensuring sustainability for generations and safer roads for Michiganders.

“These grants are big wins for Michigan that will help us protect our communities from the impacts of climate change,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “They will make our state’s infrastructure more resilient, preserve the safety and well-being of Michiganders, and ensure our communities are strong and ready to respond to natural hazards like flooding. Thank you to President Biden and our representatives in Washington for making these projects possible. Let’s continue working together to invest in infrastructure in communities across our state.”

“Every community in America knows the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, including increasingly frequent heavy rain and flooding events across the country and the sea-level rise that is inundating infrastructure in coastal states,” said U.S. Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “This investment in Michigan from the Biden-Harris Administration will ensure our infrastructure is built to withstand more frequent and unpredictable extreme weather, which is vitally important for people and businesses that rely on roads and bridges being open to keep our economy moving.”

“It’s critically important that we strengthen our infrastructure and transportation systems against the severe weather events that continue to impact our state,” said U.S. Senator Gary Peters. “I was proud to secure this federal funding in the bipartisan infrastructure law and advocate for each of these projects, which will improve resiliency of Michigan’s stormwater infrastructure and make our transportation network safer.”

The City of Kalamazoo: Building Up Stormwater and Transportation Infrastructure
The City of Kalamazoo has been granted nearly $38 million for “Building Resilience in Kalamazoo’s Downtown Transportation Network.” The project will build up the city’s stormwater infrastructure, which will lower flood risks and support the redesign of the Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Network. By increasing stormwater capacity and restoring sections of the creek, this project will protect surrounding communities from flooding and improve environmental and water quality.

“The City of Kalamazoo is thrilled to receive this major federal grant and we are so grateful to our government leaders for making this happen” said David Anderson, mayor, City of Kalamazoo. “This is government at its finest. Projects like this show the breadth and depth of our mission, along with what we in government can do to build and strengthen the welfare of our citizens.”

MDOT: Improving Stormwater Runoff in West Michigan
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will receive $12 million for “Pumping up 28th Street: Connecting Wyoming and Grand Rapids.” The project will enhance storm drainage and surface infrastructure along 28th Street in Grand Rapids, a critical transportation corridor. Improvements under the project include replacing an aging pump station, upgrading deteriorating roadway pavement and implementing rain gardens to improve stormwater runoff.
“In Michigan, we’ve faced many challenges the past few years as climate change spurs more severe weather events including deluges that overwhelm roads and drainage systems,” MDOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. “Building a more resilient transportation system is costly, and this grant will help mitigate flooding which has delayed traffic during heavy rains on one of West Michigan’s busiest retail corridors. We are very appreciative that the Federal Highway Administration recognized the need for this vital project.”

“When we invest in our infrastructure, we invest in the long-term health, safety, and resilience of our communities,” said U.S. Congresswoman Hillary Scholten. “I’m thrilled that we’re bringing home $12 million to upgrade storm drainage and surface infrastructure along 28th Street in Grand Rapids. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m working tirelessly to bring home more investments for West Michigan to move our community forward.”

SEMCOG: Reducing Flood Risk in Southeast Michigan
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) has been awarded $900,000 for the “Southeast Michigan Regional Resilience Improvement Plan,” a project to develop a regional climate resilience improvement plan to strengthen transportation resilience and address future climate impacts, especially flooding that has a detrimental impact on the transportation network throughout the region. This project will also update flood risk assessment tools, prioritize hazard mitigation and evacuation routes, integrate nature-based solutions, and provide outreach and engagement in Southeast Michigan’s underserved communities.

“As the federally designated water planning agency for Southeast Michigan, we are thrilled to receive this funding to develop a Climate Resilience Improvement Plan for Southeast Michigan,” said SEMCOG Executive Director Amy O’Leary. “With the unprecedented flooding in our region, partners from across Southeast Michigan have gathered to address this pressing challenge. We are excited to collaborate with Great Lakes Water Authority, our counties, local governments, state and federal agencies, and our nonprofit, university, and corporate partners. To solve this issue, we all need to be at the table,” O’Leary said.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen first-hand the importance of investing in climate resilience,” said U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. “This award for The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments will ensure our local governments are better prepared to respond to future storms, floods, and other extreme weather impacts. SEMCOG is doing critical work to strengthen our infrastructure and in turn, make Southeast Michigan communities safer.”

“Hardening our transportation infrastructure to climate change is critical to ensuring the people of Oakland County can safely get where they need to go,” said U.S. Congresswoman Haley Stevens. “I’m delighted the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments received $900,000 in funding for the Southeast Michigan Regional Resilience Plan through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I helped pass. Keeping our communities safe from increased flooding is exactly why we passed this legislation and I’m thrilled to see funding coming to our communities.”

“SEMCOG’s initiative marks a pivotal moment in our battle against flooding, setting a new standard for resilience in Southeast Michigan,” said U.S. Congressman Shri Thanedar. “By deploying innovative, nature-based solutions, we’re not just addressing flood risks; we’re transforming our communities into models of sustainability and safety. This effort underscores our proactive approach to climate challenges, ensuring that every neighborhood stands fortified. Together, we’re crafting a future where every resident is protected from the unpredictability of floods.”

Michigan continues to lead the nation in bringing home federal funding investments to support transformational infrastructure projects that will create thriving communities for generations to come. To date, Michigan has received more than $10.8 billion from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve infrastructure outcomes across the state.

“These investments underscore Michigan’s commitment to building resilient, efficient, and costeffective transportation systems that will serve our communities for generations to come, said Zachary Kolodin, Michigan’s chief infrastructure officer and director of the Michigan Infrastructure Office. “Investing in Michigan’s infrastructure is critical to the long-term growth and prosperity of our state. These grants will enable us to modernize our systems, reduce vulnerabilities, and better protect our communities from the impacts of climate change.”

For more information about how federal funding is being invested to improve Michigan’s infrastructure, please visit www.michigan.gov/whitmer/issues/michigan-infrastructure-office.

ABOUT THE MICHIGAN INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICE
The Michigan Infrastructure Office is responsible for organizing and executing Governor Whitmer’s vision for infrastructure, coordinating across state government, marshaling resources, and partnering with local officials, federal partners, and outside stakeholders to ensure resources sent to Michigan through BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are used efficiently and effectively.