Michigan Department of Transportation
Encyclopedia
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government
agency in the US state of Michigan
. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System
which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac Bridge
. Other responsibilities that fall under MDOT's mandate include airports, shipping and rail in Michigan.
The predecessor to today's MDOT was the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) that was formed on July 1, 1905 after a constitutional amendment was approved that year. The first activities of the department were to distribute rewards payments to local units of government for road construction and maintenance. In 1913, the state legislature authorized the creation of the state trunkline highway system, and the MSHD paid double rewards for those roads. These trunklines were signed in 1919, making Michigan the second state to post numbers on its highways. The department continued to improve roadways under its control through the Great Depression
and into World War II
. During the war, the state built its first freeways. These freeways became the start of Michigan's section of the Interstate Highway System. Since the mid-1960s, the department was reorganized. It was renamed the Michigan Department of State Highways for a time. Further changes culminated in adding all modes of transportation to the department's portfolio. In 1973, the department was once again renamed to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation by executive order. The name was later simplified and shortened to that of today.
, the first state highway commission. In 1900 he organized the first International Road Congress in Port Huron
and even put together a tour of a 1 miles (1.6 km) macadam
road. He even ran for the state senate in 1900 at the urging of the Detroit Bicycle Club. The legislature set up a state reward system for highways and created the State Highway Department with an office of Highway Commissioner. Earle was appointed by Governor Aaron Bliss. This appointment and department were voided when the attorney general
ruled the law unconstitutional. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1905 to reverse this decision. The department was formed, and Earle was appointed commissioner by Governor Fred Warner
on July 1, 1905.
At first the department administered rewards to the counties and townships for building roads to state minimum specifications. In 1905 there were 68000 miles (109,435.1 km) of roads in Michigan. Of these roads, only 7700 miles (12,391.9 km) were improved with gravel and 245 miles (394.3 km) were macadam. The state's "statute labor system" was abolished in 1907. Under that system, a farmer and a team of horses could work on road improvements in place of paying road taxes. Instead a property tax system was instituted with the funding only for permanent improvements, not maintenance. The nation's first mile of concrete
roadway was laid along Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in Detroit
. This section of street was 17 feet 8 inches (5.38 m) wide. Work began by the Wayne County
Road Commission on April 2, 1909 and finished on July 4, 1909, at a cost of $13,354 (equivalent to $ today).
In 1913 voters elected Frank Rogers to the post of highway commissioner. This election was the first after the legislature made it an elective post. Automobile registrations surged to 20 times the level at the department's formation, to 60,438, and there were 1754 miles (2,823 km) of roads built under the rewards system. Passage of the "State Trunkline Act" provided for 3000 miles (4,828 km) of roadways with double rewards payments. Further legislation during the Rogers administration allowed for special assessment taxing districts for road improvements, taxation of automobiles based on weight and horsepower and tree-planting along highway roadsides. Another law allowed the commissioner to name all unnamed state roads. It also allowed for the posting of signage with the names and distances to towns. The first centerline was painted on a state highway in 1917 along the Marquette-Negaunee Road which was designated Trunkline 15, now Marquette County Road 492 (The first centerline was invented in 1911 in Wayne County
by Edward N. Hines.) That same year the first stop sign was put in place and the country's first "crow's nest" traffic signal tower was installed in Detroit. This traffic light using red-yellow-green was developed by William Potts, a Detroit police officer.
Michigan is also home to the first snowplow
. This winter maintenance started during World War I
to keep 590 miles (950 km) of strategic highways clear. In 1919 Michigan first signed the trunklines, the second state after Wisconsin
to do so.
The first ferry service was started on July 1, 1923, linking Michigan's Upper
and Lower
peninsulas. The first gasoline tax was enacted in 1923 at the rate of $0.02/gal (equivalent to $/gal today), but vetoed by Governor Alex Groesbeck
. It was later enacted effective in 1926. The highway commissioner was also given complete control over the planning and maintenance of the state trunklines. Construction switched to concrete or asphalt
only instead of gravel and macadam with an increase in the gas tax in 1927. Highway construction in the 1920s earned Michigan national attention. The first trunklline completed in concrete was M-16 (later part of US 16). The road was built to a standard of 20 feet (6.1 m) and between 7–9 in (17.8–22.9 cm) thick. The current standard at the time was 16 feet (4.9 m) wide and 6 inches (15.2 cm) thick. The 1920s were also busy for Michigan highways as Michigan developed the yellow-line center line to indicate no-passing zones for sight-restricted hills and curves. Roadside picnic tables, soil testing and aerial surveying of highways also debuted at this time. As MDOT historians put it, "the age of mud was over; the age of concrete was moving in.
, highway construction slowed down with decreased gas tax and property tax revenues. License plate fees were sent to the counties for road funding starting in 1932 and road crews made of "reliefers". The federal aid money was split between the highway department and the welfare department. The county welfare agencies supplied workers on road construction projects across the state. Roadside parks and travel information centers debuted in the 1930s as well. During World War II
the department built the Willow Run Expressway and the Detroit Industrial Expressway
in 11 months so workers could get to the Ford Motor Company
's bomber plant at Willow Run
. When the Interstate Highway System
was created in the late 1950s, Michigan modified existing freeway plans to fit the Interstate standards. In the 1960s nearly 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) of freeways were built at an average pace of one new mile every three to four days. Michigan was also the first state to complete a border to border Interstate, I-94
from New Buffalo
to Detroit running 205 miles (330 km). The 1950s and 60s also brought the completion of several major bridges in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge
in 1957, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge
in 1959 and the International Bridge
in 1962. The biggest bridge designed by the department spanned the River Rouge
carrying the Fisher Freeway (I-75)
. This bridge was 8367 feet (2,550 m) long and 115 feet (35 m) high.
The adoption of the 1963 Constitution reorganized the department. No longer would the highway commissioner be elected. Instead, a six-member commission appointed by the governor would select a department director. The new commission would also have jurisdiction over "such other public works of the state as provided by law. At the time, the name was rearranged to the Michigan Department of State Highways. The legislative authorization led to 1970s reorganization of the department. An executive order by Governor William G. Milliken gave the department authority over all transportation programs in Michigan. The department was renamed on August 23, 1973, to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation giving it responsibility for aviation, railroads, buses, ships, ports and non-motorized pathways and trails. The name was later shortened to the current form in 1978.
coordinates its activities to maintain the Mackinac Bridge
as an independent agency through the department director. The International Bridge Administration (IBA) is the arm of the department responsible to the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority. That authority maintains the International Bridge
. The IBA reports to the chief administrative officer.
The Airports Division runs development programs for airports which includes planning, design safety evaluation and construction. Additional, this division licenses airports, flight schools, aircraft, and aircraft dealers and inspects airports. Seminars for pilots are run to keep license pilots up to date on current procedures. The first bureau director is Rob Abent. The Aviation Services Division assists airports in bring in and retaining airline services. Through the Airport Preservation Program, this division aids at risk airports to find ways to stay open.
Michigan Services
operations in the state for the Blue Water and the Pere Marquette lines.
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
agency in the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
. Other responsibilities that fall under MDOT's mandate include airports, shipping and rail in Michigan.
The predecessor to today's MDOT was the Michigan State Highway Department (MSHD) that was formed on July 1, 1905 after a constitutional amendment was approved that year. The first activities of the department were to distribute rewards payments to local units of government for road construction and maintenance. In 1913, the state legislature authorized the creation of the state trunkline highway system, and the MSHD paid double rewards for those roads. These trunklines were signed in 1919, making Michigan the second state to post numbers on its highways. The department continued to improve roadways under its control through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war, the state built its first freeways. These freeways became the start of Michigan's section of the Interstate Highway System. Since the mid-1960s, the department was reorganized. It was renamed the Michigan Department of State Highways for a time. Further changes culminated in adding all modes of transportation to the department's portfolio. In 1973, the department was once again renamed to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation by executive order. The name was later simplified and shortened to that of today.
Early history
The first State Highway Department was created on July 1, 1905. The department was born out of the good-roads movement at the turn of the century. Bicycle enthusiasts as a part of the League of American Wheelmen pushed for better roads and streets. They also wanted to ensure that bicyclists could use these streets and roads free from interference from horsedrawn vehicles. This movement persuaded the Michigan State Legislature to form a State Highway Commission in 1892. Another law in 1893 allowed voters in each county to establish county road commissions. The attention of Michigan residents was turned to the good-roads movement by Horatio S. EarleHoratio Earle
Horatio Sawyer Earle is known as the "Father of Good Roads" or simply Horatio "Good Roads" Earle.-Early life:Earle was born February 14, 1855 on a farm in Mount Holly, Vermont. He married Agnes Lincoln in 1874 and they had a son, Romeo Horatio Earle in 1878...
, the first state highway commission. In 1900 he organized the first International Road Congress in Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
and even put together a tour of a 1 miles (1.6 km) macadam
Macadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
road. He even ran for the state senate in 1900 at the urging of the Detroit Bicycle Club. The legislature set up a state reward system for highways and created the State Highway Department with an office of Highway Commissioner. Earle was appointed by Governor Aaron Bliss. This appointment and department were voided when the attorney general
Michigan Attorney General
The Attorney General of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, members of the Senate and...
ruled the law unconstitutional. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1905 to reverse this decision. The department was formed, and Earle was appointed commissioner by Governor Fred Warner
Fred M. Warner
Fred Maltby Warner was an American politician. He served as the 26th Governor of Michigan from 1905 to 1911.-Birth in England and early life in Michigan:...
on July 1, 1905.
At first the department administered rewards to the counties and townships for building roads to state minimum specifications. In 1905 there were 68000 miles (109,435.1 km) of roads in Michigan. Of these roads, only 7700 miles (12,391.9 km) were improved with gravel and 245 miles (394.3 km) were macadam. The state's "statute labor system" was abolished in 1907. Under that system, a farmer and a team of horses could work on road improvements in place of paying road taxes. Instead a property tax system was instituted with the funding only for permanent improvements, not maintenance. The nation's first mile of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
roadway was laid along Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. This section of street was 17 feet 8 inches (5.38 m) wide. Work began by the Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
Road Commission on April 2, 1909 and finished on July 4, 1909, at a cost of $13,354 (equivalent to $ today).
In 1913 voters elected Frank Rogers to the post of highway commissioner. This election was the first after the legislature made it an elective post. Automobile registrations surged to 20 times the level at the department's formation, to 60,438, and there were 1754 miles (2,823 km) of roads built under the rewards system. Passage of the "State Trunkline Act" provided for 3000 miles (4,828 km) of roadways with double rewards payments. Further legislation during the Rogers administration allowed for special assessment taxing districts for road improvements, taxation of automobiles based on weight and horsepower and tree-planting along highway roadsides. Another law allowed the commissioner to name all unnamed state roads. It also allowed for the posting of signage with the names and distances to towns. The first centerline was painted on a state highway in 1917 along the Marquette-Negaunee Road which was designated Trunkline 15, now Marquette County Road 492 (The first centerline was invented in 1911 in Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
by Edward N. Hines.) That same year the first stop sign was put in place and the country's first "crow's nest" traffic signal tower was installed in Detroit. This traffic light using red-yellow-green was developed by William Potts, a Detroit police officer.
Michigan is also home to the first snowplow
Snowplow
A snowplow is a device intended for mounting on a vehicle, used for removing snow and ice from outdoor surfaces, typically those serving transportation purposes...
. This winter maintenance started during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to keep 590 miles (950 km) of strategic highways clear. In 1919 Michigan first signed the trunklines, the second state after Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to do so.
The first ferry service was started on July 1, 1923, linking Michigan's Upper
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
and Lower
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
peninsulas. The first gasoline tax was enacted in 1923 at the rate of $0.02/gal (equivalent to $/gal today), but vetoed by Governor Alex Groesbeck
Alex Groesbeck
Alexander Joseph Groesbeck was an American politician who served as Attorney General and the 30th Governor of the State of Michigan.-Early life:...
. It was later enacted effective in 1926. The highway commissioner was also given complete control over the planning and maintenance of the state trunklines. Construction switched to concrete or asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
only instead of gravel and macadam with an increase in the gas tax in 1927. Highway construction in the 1920s earned Michigan national attention. The first trunklline completed in concrete was M-16 (later part of US 16). The road was built to a standard of 20 feet (6.1 m) and between 7–9 in (17.8–22.9 cm) thick. The current standard at the time was 16 feet (4.9 m) wide and 6 inches (15.2 cm) thick. The 1920s were also busy for Michigan highways as Michigan developed the yellow-line center line to indicate no-passing zones for sight-restricted hills and curves. Roadside picnic tables, soil testing and aerial surveying of highways also debuted at this time. As MDOT historians put it, "the age of mud was over; the age of concrete was moving in.
Later history
During the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, highway construction slowed down with decreased gas tax and property tax revenues. License plate fees were sent to the counties for road funding starting in 1932 and road crews made of "reliefers". The federal aid money was split between the highway department and the welfare department. The county welfare agencies supplied workers on road construction projects across the state. Roadside parks and travel information centers debuted in the 1930s as well. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the department built the Willow Run Expressway and the Detroit Industrial Expressway
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
in 11 months so workers could get to the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's bomber plant at Willow Run
Willow Run
The Willow Run manufacturing plant, located between Ypsilanti and Belleville, Michigan, was constructed during World War II by Ford Motor Company for the mass production of the B-24 Liberator military aircraft....
. When the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
was created in the late 1950s, Michigan modified existing freeway plans to fit the Interstate standards. In the 1960s nearly 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) of freeways were built at an average pace of one new mile every three to four days. Michigan was also the first state to complete a border to border Interstate, I-94
Interstate 94 in Michigan
Interstate 94 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Billings, Montana, to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state south of New Buffalo...
from New Buffalo
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:...
to Detroit running 205 miles (330 km). The 1950s and 60s also brought the completion of several major bridges in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
in 1957, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge
Portage Lake Lift Bridge
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, USA, across Portage Lake, a portion of the waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal linking the final several miles to Lake Superior to the northwest...
in 1959 and the International Bridge
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, often known just as the International Bridge, spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It serves as the northern terminus of Interstate 75...
in 1962. The biggest bridge designed by the department spanned the River Rouge
River Rouge (Michigan)
The River Rouge, also known as the Rouge River, is a river in the Metro Detroit area of southeastern Michigan. It flows into the Detroit River at Zug Island, which is the boundary between the cities of River Rouge and Detroit....
carrying the Fisher Freeway (I-75)
Interstate 75 in Michigan
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 enters the state from Ohio in the south, just to the north of Toledo. It runs generally north through Detroit, Pontiac and Bay City, crossing the...
. This bridge was 8367 feet (2,550 m) long and 115 feet (35 m) high.
The adoption of the 1963 Constitution reorganized the department. No longer would the highway commissioner be elected. Instead, a six-member commission appointed by the governor would select a department director. The new commission would also have jurisdiction over "such other public works of the state as provided by law. At the time, the name was rearranged to the Michigan Department of State Highways. The legislative authorization led to 1970s reorganization of the department. An executive order by Governor William G. Milliken gave the department authority over all transportation programs in Michigan. The department was renamed on August 23, 1973, to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation giving it responsibility for aviation, railroads, buses, ships, ports and non-motorized pathways and trails. The name was later shortened to the current form in 1978.
State Highway Commissioners
- Horatio S. EarleHoratio EarleHoratio Sawyer Earle is known as the "Father of Good Roads" or simply Horatio "Good Roads" Earle.-Early life:Earle was born February 14, 1855 on a farm in Mount Holly, Vermont. He married Agnes Lincoln in 1874 and they had a son, Romeo Horatio Earle in 1878...
, 1905–1909 - Townsend A. Ely, 1909–1913
- Frank F. Rogers, 1913–1929
- Grover C. Dillman, 1929–1933
- Murray Van WagonerMurray Van WagonerMurray Delos Van Wagoner was an American politician. He served as the 38th Governor of Michigan from 1941 to 1942.-Early life:...
, 1933–1940 - Donald Kennedy, 1940–1942
- Lloyd B. Reid, 1942–1943
- Charles M. Ziegler, 1943–1957
- John C. MackieJohn C. MackieJohn C. Mackie was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Mackie was born in Toronto and immigrated to the United States from Canada in 1924 with his parents, who settled in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Southeastern High School in Detroit in 1938 and attended Lawrence Institute of...
, 1957–1964
Department Directors
- Howard E. Hill, 1965–1967
- Henrik E. Stafseth, 1967–1972
- John P. Woodford, 1972–1982
- James P. Pitz, 1982–1991
- Patrick M. Nowak, 1991–1996
- Robert Welke, 1996–1997
- James R. DeSana, 1997–2001
- Gregory J. Rosine, 2001–2002
- Gloria J. Jeff, 2003–2006
- Kirk T. Steudle, 2006–present
Transportation Commission
| Name | Hometown | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ted B. Wahby† | St. Clair Shores St. Clair Shores, Michigan St. Clair Shores is a suburban city bordering Lake St. Clair in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms a part of the Metro Detroit area, and is located approximately northeast of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,715. The current mayor is... |
March 27, 1997 | December 21, 2011 |
| Linda Miller Atkinson ‡ | Channing | March 19, 2004 | December 21, 2012 |
| Jerrold M Jung | Birmingham Birmingham, Michigan Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103... |
September 2, 2007 | December 21, 2012 |
| Maureen Miller Brosnan | Livonia Livonia, Michigan Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest... |
March 8, 2005 | December 21, 2010 |
| James S. Scalici | Bingham Farms Bingham Farms, Michigan Bingham Farms is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,111 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:... |
January 12, 2006 | December 21, 2011 |
| Steven K. Girard | Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand... |
August 28, 2008 | December 21, 2010 |
| † Chair, ‡ Vice-Chair Information from MDOT |
|||
Michigan Aeronautics Commission
The Michigan Aeronautics Commission is charged with creating rules regarding airports, related facilities and pilot training. It is composed of five gubernatorial appointees and 4 department head representatives.| Name | Hometown | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Collins† | Marquette Marquette, Michigan Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern... |
August 2004 | |
| Russ Kavalhuna‡ | Lansing Lansing, Michigan Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan... |
2009 | |
| Sidney Adams, Jr. | Battle Creek Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county... |
September 2001 | |
| Terry Everman | Flushing Flushing, Michigan Flushing is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,348 at the 2000 census. Flushing is considered a suburb of Flint. It is situated within the area of Flushing Charter Township, but is administratively autonomous... |
2003 | |
| Jonathon Freye | Battle Creek | ||
| Capt. Dan Atkinson | Representative for the Michigan State Police Michigan State Police The Michigan State Police is the state police agency for the state of Michigan. The MSP is a full service law enforcement agency with its sworn members having full police powers statewide.... |
||
| Brig. Gen. Robert H. Johnston | Representative for the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is a principal department of the State of Michigan. It oversees the military components and veterans services for the State... |
||
| Scott Heather | Representative for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment | ||
| Rob Abent | Ex-officio director of the Michigan Aeronautics Commission as the Director of the Bureau of Aeronautics and Freight Services of MDOT | ||
| Leon E. Hank | Representative of the MDOT Director | ||
| † Chair, ‡ Vice-Chair Information from the Bureau of Aeronautics |
|||
Department organization
MDOT is organized into six regions statewide and a series of divisions and bureaus that report through three chief officers to the department director. The chief administrative officer oversees the sections of the department related to aviation and aeronautics, finances, transportation planning and human resources. The chief operations officers supervises the 6 regional offices, and the divisions devoted to highway research, design and construction. The offices devoted to communications, passenger transportation and business and economic affairs report to chief deputy director of the department. The Mackinac Bridge AuthorityMackinac Bridge Authority
The Mackinac Bridge Authority is the state agency of the U.S. state of Michigan that operates the Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan.-History of Authority:...
coordinates its activities to maintain the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
as an independent agency through the department director. The International Bridge Administration (IBA) is the arm of the department responsible to the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority. That authority maintains the International Bridge
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, often known just as the International Bridge, spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It serves as the northern terminus of Interstate 75...
. The IBA reports to the chief administrative officer.
Bureau of Aeronautics and Freight Services
The Bureau of Aeronautics and Freight Services caries out the enforcement of the Commission's rules. It has three divisions: Airports Division, Aviation Services, and Freight Services. The bureau, along with the Passenger Transportation Bureau, was formed out of the Multi-Modal Transportation Services Bureau in 2006.The Airports Division runs development programs for airports which includes planning, design safety evaluation and construction. Additional, this division licenses airports, flight schools, aircraft, and aircraft dealers and inspects airports. Seminars for pilots are run to keep license pilots up to date on current procedures. The first bureau director is Rob Abent. The Aviation Services Division assists airports in bring in and retaining airline services. Through the Airport Preservation Program, this division aids at risk airports to find ways to stay open.
Railroad subsidies
The department provides subsidies to AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Michigan Services
Michigan Services
Michigan Services is an umbrella term used by Amtrak to describe passenger rail service by three routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with the Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and Detroit, and other stations along the three lines...
operations in the state for the Blue Water and the Pere Marquette lines.