Michigan DOT no topic November 2017

November 2017 - Final Edition 

State officials dedicate the new Flex Route 

Gov. Rick Snyder (center) stand with State Transportation Director Kirk Steudle (left) and University Region Engineer Paul Ajegba (right) near an activated Flex Route gantry.

Gov. Rick Snyder attended a special event on Nov. 13 marking the final days of construction on US-23 and the start of the new traffic management system called Flex Route. Snyder, State Transportation Director Kirk Steudle, and Paul Ajegba, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) University Region engineer, spoke to a crowd about the benefits at a rest area along southbound US-23. 

 "A 24-hour solution would not have been appropriate here," Snyder said. "It would have cost four times as much to add more lanes. Not to do anything would not have been a good solution either."     

The Flex Route is a lane control system comprised of overhead signs, cameras, and electronic message boards. The new system opens the inside median shoulder to traffic during peak periods, such as morning and afternoon rush hours, and during special events and incidents when traffic volumes are heavier. A green arrow on the overhead signs will indicate when the median shoulder is safely available for use. A red X will indicate when the shoulder is closed and not for use as an additional lane. The system will be maintained around-the-clock by MDOT's Statewide Operations Center (STOC) based in Lansing.

The Flex Route is part of a $92 million investment along the corridor that included replacing bridges at 6 Mile Road, 8 Mile Road, and North Territorial Road, repairing bridges at four other locations, extending and upgrading ramps, repairing pavement between M-14 and Silver Lake Road, and expanding Intelligent Transportation Services (ITS) technology.  

During incidents, motorists can see up to a 50 percent savings in travel time when the Flex Route is open and operating. Having the Flex Route in operation is also expected to reduce the number of secondary crashes, thus further increasing safety. 

"I am looking forward to seeing a decrease in congestion and crashes along this route," Steudle said. "To have a solution in place is tremendous at a fraction of the cost of adding new lanes." 

Billboards have been placed along US-23 encouraging drivers to visit the Flex Route website at www.FlexRoute23.com, where they will find an instructional video, a brochure, a series of newsletters posted throughout 2017, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions that MDOT believes will address any questions motorists might have. A video of the dedication event can be viewed here.  

FAQ: How will the Flex Route be enforced?

Law enforcement agencies, including the Michigan State Police, will patrol the Flex Route during non-peak hours. The penalty for traveling in closed flex lanes (indicated by a red X on sign directly above the lane) is an improper lane use citation. This is a two-point violation under the Michigan Vehicle Code which carries a fine of $130 plus court costs.

Current and upcoming construction activities(See map)

US-23:

• Construction on Flex Route 23 is wrapping up for the season. Work on mainline US-23 and the interchanges within the project limits is approaching completion. Painting of pavement markings and other final work will continue through Nov. 30 (weather permitting).
• On Nov. 10, the Active Traffic Management (ATM) system passed final system testing.  The flex lane went into partial operation on Nov. 15 during the morning and evening peak rush. Flex lane use only was permitted from 6 Mile Road to M-14. Working as designed, this marks the first time that an intelligent transportation system (ITS) portion of the project was completed.
• Beginning Nov. 20, the flex lane will be available for use from M-14 to M-36 during peak hours. This will be for intermittent use allowing for temperature sensitive work operations. 

Flex Route Newsletter Topics  February: New Flex Route to significantly improve travel time and safety (an introduction) March: New technology will alert motorists to what's ahead (what the overhead signs can tell you) April: Flex Lane offers viable solutions for managing temporary traffic congestion (why it works) May: Driver awareness key to Flex Route success (understanding the lane control signs); and Flex Route concept finds success in another state (Washington reports that the system works!) June: The inner workings of MDOT's new Flex Route system (how does it all work?) July: Construction of Michigan's first Flex Route hits halfway point (status report for related project improvements) August: Michigan's first Flex Route supports driverless vehicle technology (how it relates to the bigger picture) September: Flex Route 23 will improve travel today and for decades to come (future research) October: More information focuses on how to drive new Flex Route (how to use it)

More photos are available on our Facebook page.
Download MDOT's Mi Drive traffic information app: www.michigan.gov/drive.