US-10/Garfield Road Interchange Update

The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has identified the US-10/Garfield Road Interchange as a legislative/economic development priority for long term economic resurgence and to parallel with the 48 million dollar FAA improvement grant for MBS. To attract new business around the new MBS Airport terminal, it is essential that the infrastructure in the surrounding area support the high traffic needs of potential investors.

To date, the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has taken a number of steps to move this initiative forward. Some of the highlights of the process are below.
·         January/2010: John Lore, President and CEO of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance began discussions with Congressman Stupak and Congressman Kildee seeking support for an Engineering Planning Grant Survey of the US/10 Garfield Road Interchange.
·         February/2010: With the assistance of Brian Elder, Tom Hickner and the leadership of Regional Ambassador, Laura Ogar, the Bay County Board of Commissioners authorized Bay County to serve as the local sponsor for federal funding requests. Lore worked with Congressman Stupak and Laura Ogar from Bay County to fill out forms that would seek funding sources from two areas:
1.) Federal earmark appropriation
2.) Surface Transportation bill