MDOT Announces $100M Trenton Corridor Upgrade, Backed by $73M Federal Grant
Federal officials have awarded Michigan a $73 million grant for a project targeting a busy railroad crossing near Trenton on Fort Street (M-85). The project’s roughly $100 million price tag accounts for designing and constructing an overpass or underpass for vehicles over the railroad tracks. This infrastructure and transportation upgrade addresses a longstanding concern about safety at the intersection among residents of the Downriver communities.
According to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Michigan has committed $15 million to the project, while the Canadian National Railroad has pledged $5 million.
M-85 is a major north-south roadway that connects southeast Michigan and Downriver with Interstate 75. According to statements from MDOT reported by The Detroit News, the corridor in Trenton is one of the most heavily trafficked stretches of road in the Downriver region. Approximately 29,000 vehicles ride over the Canadian National Railroad crossing north of Van Horn Road daily. Ten to 12 trains travel over the tracks crossing the intersection with M-85 daily.
MDOT spokesperson Michael Frezell said the train traffic at the crossing interferes with emergency vehicles and school buses and contributes to traffic tie-ups for motorists who must wait for the trains to pass before proceeding over the tracks.
“Any railroad crossing can be a safety concern if motorists do not abide by the lights, gates, bells, and other warning systems of approaching trains,” Frezell stated in an email to The Detroit News. “Additionally, emergency response services to a Level II Trauma Center (less than one mile from this crossing) are significantly impacted when trains are passing.”
Frizzell noted that the project’s final design is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2028. Construction is expected to begin in 2029 and, depending on the final design selected, will take at least two years or more to complete.
