Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Tuesday.
She spoke on the role that transportation plays in improving access to important services in communities in Michigan.
She announced funding for a final round of projects under the $8 Million Michigan Mobility Challenge.
The challenge addresses where there are gaps for seniors, Veterans, and people with disabilities to get around across the state.
“We have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to advance our state’s technology and automotive landscape in a way that also improves the quality of life for countless individuals in Michigan,” said Governor Whitmer. “The Michigan Mobility Challenge can offer a blueprint for the rest of the nation on how to look to mobility technology to improve transportation options for citizens who need access to an affordable, reliable way to go to the bank, their doctor’s appointment or the grocery store.”
Four projects were announced:
- New Autonomous Mobility Vision for Michigan ($2,168,219) – an autonomous electric shuttle at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. This will allow for extended hours of service to veterans on the hospital campus as well as an easier method for ordering and scheduling services. - Pratt & Miller Engineering (project lead), Western Michigan University, University of Michigan, Kevadiya Inc., Robotic Research, Comet Mobility and Easterseals.
- Southeast Michigan Integrated Platform for Paratransit Services ($1,050,000) – an integrated online booking and trip management platform that can create a “one-click” experience for users of AAATA, DDOT and SMART ADA Paratransit services, making scheduling and managing paratransit trips easier for seniors and people with disabilities. - Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (project lead), AAATA, DDOT, SMART, SEMCOG, the Area Agency on Aging 1B and Menlo Innovations.
- Team Grand Rapids: Interurban Transit Partnership ($373,782) – utilizing a dynamic ride share app for paratransit services in Grand Rapids to improve rider experience by shortening trip duration and reservation lead time. This will allow booking trips the same day and means users will spend less time on the bus. - The Rapid, the City of Grand Rapids, Disability Advocates of Kent County and Via.
- Michigan Universal Vehicle Ecosystem Pilot ($1,178,129) – a ride-share platform in the central UP that will focus on increasing accessible transportation options, build community and decrease isolation for those with mobility challenges. P3 (project lead), MUVE, Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress, Delta Area Transit Authority, Schoolcraft County Transit, Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency, Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission, and Veterans Affairs.
Trevor Pawl, Group Vice President of PlanetM, the state of Michigan’s mobility-focused brand and business development program said, “this project illustrates the impact of Michigan’s leadership in piloting new technology as well as a commitment to quality of life here in the state.”
Projects in the challenge will intersect with current services to improve the existing transportation network, according to a press release after the announcement.
The announcement on Tuesday brings the total number of projects funded to 13.
Those projects are in urban, rural, and suburban communities throughout the state.
