By Staff
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, announced he was successful in securing $16 million to widen I-94 in the highway bill that passed the House Thursday afternoon.
Upton secured the funding in H.R. 3, the "Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users."
The bipartisan measure overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 417-9.
The $283.9 billion measure, generated from the federal gas tax, will provide federal funding for the nation's highway and transit programs for the next six years. "The highway bill has hit some speed bumps over the last two years, but with the Senate not far behind us, it's full speed ahead for the highway bill and the widening of I-94," said Upton. Upton's top transportation priority is the widening of I-94 from four lanes to six lanes between 12th Street (west of U.S. 131) to Sprinkle Road, a total of 6.9 miles. That portion of the freeway has one of the highest traffic volumes for a four-lane freeway in Michigan.