Congressman Sander Levin

Fiscal Year 2011 Project Specific Requests for the 12th District

For many years, the process of Congressional funding requests - sometimes known as "earmarks" - lacked transparency and accountability. Since assuming the majority in 2007, Congressional Democrats have overhauled the process for requesting project-specific funding requests.

For the last two years, every earmark approved by Congress included public disclosure of which Member(s) requested the money, which entity received the funds, what the funds were for, and how much money Congress approved. Members requesting earmarks must also certify that they have no financial interest in the project.

Further, to increase transparency and accountability, members are also required to publicly disclose all their project-specific requests on their websites and there will be a one-stop shop online where the public can view all earmarks.

After a Member requests an earmark, the appropriate Executive Branch agency has 20 days to review the project to ensure that the earmark is eligible to receive funds and meets goals established in law.

This year, Congressional Democrats are excluding ell earmarks directed to for-profit entities, and requiring the Inspectors General to audit at least 5% of all earmarks directed to non-profit entities.

I will continue to request federal funding for Oakland and Macomb County projects because there are real needs in these communities that the funding can address. These include a broad range of projects including law enforcement, sewer upgrades, roads, a new health clinic, worker training in emerging sectors and a business incubator project.

I have actively supported all meaningful reforms and we did not offer requests that benefit only a private sector business even before this year’s reform effort that made that a House-wide policy.

Below are all of the project-specific requests my office has submitted to the Appropriations Committee for Fiscal Year 2011. We will update this page to indicate which project receives funding later in 2010.

Agriculture
Commerce, Justice, Science
Department of Homeland Security
Defense
Energy and Water
Financial Services
Interior/EPA
Labor/HHS/Education
Transportation/HUD

Agriculture

Emergency Food Access Integration Initiative, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 660 Woodward Ave., Suite 300, Detroit, MI, 48226.

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Funding will allow the United Way to expand the number of client choice emergency food pantries in Southeast Michigan. The United Way will link pantry operators to the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System (MASS) and local providers of donated commodities including Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners Community Food Bank. United Way will complete the link from producer to distributor and then to individuals and families by directing people to food pantries and food banks through outreach and its 211 call-in program. The goal is an integrated emergency food distribution system that will get more food into the hands of Southeast Michigan residents in need.

Commerce, Justice, Science

40th District Court Security Personnel, 40th District Court of the City of St. Clair Shores, 27701 Jefferson Avenue, St. Clair Shores, Michigan, 48081

Amount Requested: $70,000

Funding will assist the City of St. Clair Shores in obtaining security personnel for the 40th District Court. The courthouse is a 9,000 square foot building, including two holding cells, that sees approximately 30,000 cases per year. This funding will increase security presence, improving the safety and security of all persons using the facility.

Law Enforcement and Court Paperless Technology Program, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, One South Main Street, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, 48043

Amount Requested: $500,000

Funds will support the effort of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office to transition to an entirely paperless system, bringing efficiencies to police, prosecutors, and the courts throughout Macomb County. Prosecutors will be able to process warrant requests and 911 calls, transfer visual evidence, and disseminate photo, video, and interview evidence. This program will also allow police agencies to send more reports, streamline the electronic redacting process for discovery, and accelerate the movement of cases through the court process. The long-term savings provided to tax payers will be significant: there will be nearly a complete reduction in paper costs; reduced police overtime costs for warrant request delivery and appearances at adjourned court hearings; elimination of repeat mileage and appearance vouchers for victims and jurors at adjournments; and the elimination of the vast warehousing necessary to maintain paper files.

Law Enforcement Technology Upgrades, City of Warren Police Department, 29900 Civic Center Boulevard, Warren, Michigan, 48093

Amount Requested: $200,000

Funding will upgrade the external and internal security system at the City of Warren’s police headquarters building. Upgrades to digital security cameras and to supporting hardware and software and replacements of locks and associated security devices will significantly improve the building’s security, as well as the safety of all personnel working inside.

Oakland County’s Courts and Law Enforcement Management System, Oakland County, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 49 West, Pontiac, Michigan, 48341

Amount Requested: $700,000

Funding will improve the integration and interoperability of biometric, dispatch, records management and other public safety services for CLEMIS, a consortium of more than 100 law enforcement agencies in Southeast Michigan. Upgrades will be made to the records management system database and the mugshot system, and a new booking module will be created. This enhancement project will provide a broader range of services for police officers, including mobile access to an expanded suite of investigative tools while on patrol, and improve the reliability and performance of existing technology.

Technology Upgrades for Law Enforcement, City of Oak Park, 13600 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, Michigan, 48237

Amount Requested: $360,000

Funding will implement a computer-aided police and fire dispatch system within the Oak Park Department of Public Safety and support monitored video security and smoke alarm networks in the civic center complex. Residents in the City of Oak Park will benefit from enhanced police and fire emergency response capability and improved security at civic center buildings.

Department of Homeland Security

Oakland County Emergency Operations Center, Oakland County Homeland Security Division, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 47 West, Pontiac, Michigan 48341

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Funding will be used to design, construct, and renovate a new functional emergency operations center (EOC) for Oakland County. This project will double the size of the existing EOC to house sixty emergency responders, as well as responders from local, state, and federal government agencies, and will provide interoperable communications and state of the art technology. This will improve Oakland County’s homeland security, emergency management, and preparedness capabilities and the emergency services provided to the County’s sixty-one communities and 1.2 million residents.

Defense

Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) Case Resolution Program, Automation Alley, 2675 Bellingham, Troy, MI 48083

Amount requested: $5 million
DMSMS is a creative response to a longstanding problem of obtaining hard-to-find parts for our military vehicles, especially electronic components for the older vehicles. With the significant reductions in the number of manufacturers nationwide, there is a shortage of suppliers for Army replacement parts and systems. These shortages directly impact the ability of the Army to sustain more than 3500 weapons systems through all phases of the life cycle. Many of these systems are 30 or more years old, yet require parts and materials for repairs. As the systems age, needed parts and assemblies are often no longer being manufactured. The DMSMS Case Resolution Program provides an efficient connection with companies willing and able to re-engineer, test, evaluate, and manufacture components and reduce costs to TACOM.

Enhanced Visual Fidelity Simulation, Tank Automotive Research, Development and Design Center (TARDEC), 6501 E. Eleven Mile Road, Warren, MI 48397-5000

Amount requested: $2.5 million

TARDEC provides modeling, analysis and testing services to a variety of DoD organizations and contractors involved in vehicle system development, production and support. This request would improve TARDEC’s existing motion-based simulators that seek to accurately reproduce motions experienced in vehicle proving ground tests or field operations. Specifically, it would add data sensors and new/upgraded software and a combat vehicle cab with a re-configurable menu-driven crew station to TARDEC’s existing simulators that would be able to better model battlefield scenarios and improve how the simulators interface with soldiers so it better measures soldiers’ performance. The upgrade would include cognitive measuring equipment to include bio-sensing and eye tracking at multiple soldier locations. The benefits of the project include improved data that results from more realistic simulations; cognitive engineered crew stations that match soldier capabilities in non-linear battlefield conditions; and crew stations that meet full spectrum operations.

Flammability, Smoke, Toxicity (FST) Standards for Military Ground Vehicles to Improve Health for the Troops, Lawrence Technological University; 21000 W. Ten Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48075

Amount requested: $4.8 million

Lawrence Technological University’s Center for Innovative Materials (CIMR) will work with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the Army Research Laboratory to provide assessment, testing and evaluation of materials, vehicle components, vehicle sections, and entire vehicles to determine acceptable flammability, smoke and toxicity (FST) standards aimed at improving health and safety in Army vehicles and increasing survivability for troops. The Army does not currently have a FST standard for military ground vehicles. The development of such a standard will be essential to lower the risk in the integration and application of any new material to enhance combat survivability and performance. CIMR has the testing facilities and capabilities to conduct the necessary FST tests and help the Army develop the standards. Testing will be performed under different environmental conditions as certain conditions may exacerbate problems in the FST arena.

Mobile Laser Deposition Work Cell, Focus: HOPE, 1400 Oakman Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48238

Amount requested: $3 million

This project will develop a portable system that could be shipped to remote locations capable of performing metal deposition or welding on parts in the field. The system would consist of two modules: the Mobile Laser Deposition Module and the Mobile Remote Machining Module. The project will give the Navy a greater ability to quickly and effectively repair expensive assets that they would otherwise have to replace or repair in a less optimum way.

Readiness, Reintegration and Support Program (RRSP) for Reserve and National Guard Personnel, Judson Center, 4410 W. Thirteen Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073

Amount requested: $800,000.

This request seeks funding to meet the growing needs of military personnel and their families, particularly in the National Guard and Military Reserves, to provide support pre- and post-deployment. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in higher deployment rates for Guard and Reserve service members than any other conflict in history. Despite the increased reliance and additional strain on Guard and Reserve service members, resources to provide support pre- and post-deployment continue to be inadequate. The Judson Center is a non-profit human service agency based in Royal Oak. The funding would be used by the Judson Center to help address the social and psychological challenges facing military personnel and their families, especially to address mental health concerns of depression, substance abuse and post traumatic stress.

Energy and Water

Clinton River Spillway Restoration; Macomb County Public Works Office, 21777 Dunham Road, Clinton Township, MI 48036

Amount requested: $300,000

The Clinton River Spillway was constructed 58 years ago by the Corps of Engineers to relieve chronic flooding in Clinton Township. Sedimentation in the Clinton River just beyond the Spillway is a serious concern. The funding will be used for an assessment of the potential for improving the operation and function of the Spillway to reduce sedimentation and support removal of beneficial use impairments in the Clinton River Area of Concern.

George W. Kuhn Retention and Treatment Basin; Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, One Public Works Blvd., Bldg. 95 West, Waterford, MI 48238

Amount requested: $1 million

The funding would be used by Oakland County to detect and eliminate improper sanitary sewer connections to the storm water collection system that cause pollution in the Clinton River and its watershed. This initiative will reduce E-coli pollution in the Clinton River, its tributaries, and Lake St. Clair.

Greening of Warren Police Department Headquarters, City of Warren, One City Square, Suite 215, Warren, MI 48093

Amount requested: $1 million

The funding will be used by the City of Warren to implement green technologies and energy efficiency upgrades at the Warren Police Department, including the installation of a green roof, installation of interior and exterior lighting, and upgrades to the heating and cooling system.

Implementing the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair Comprehensive Management Plan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226

Amount requested: $600,000.

The funding will be used to implement priority restoration projects that are consistent with the St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair Management Plan, which the Corps of Engineers completed in 2005.

Oakland University Clean Energy Research Center, Oakland University, 2200 North Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI 48309

Amount requested: $1,000,000

This will expand Oakland University’s clean energy research efforts. The Clean Energy Research Center is a demonstration, feasibility and education outreach project that focuses on clean forms of power and heat generation including biomass, biofuels, wind, solar-thermal and photovoltaic, geothermal heating/cooling, combined heat and power, and energy conservation systems in residential and industrial applications, and the outreach and education of such systems to K-12 and higher education, and to the general public to increase energy efficiency. Funding will be used to purchase and install industrial-sized wind turbines, a biomass boiler, photovoltaic and solar-thermal applications, in addition to laboratory materials essential to undergraduate and graduate college education in alternative energy and continuing education for K-12 teachers.

United Way Energy Efficient Building Project, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 660 Woodward Avenue, Suite 300, Detroit, MI 48226

Amount requested: $260,000

The funding will be used by United Way of Southeastern Michigan to assist community non-profits to make energy efficiency and insulation upgrades at their facilities. The organizations are Turning Point of Mount Clemens, MI, a domestic violence shelter, as well as two Presbyterian Villages sites.

Financial Services

Macomb-OU INCubator, Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development, 1 South Main, 7th Floor, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043.

Amount Requested: $413,000

The Macomb-Oakland University INCubator facility in Sterling Heights was established to assist current business grow and diversify. The INCubator also works with entrepreneurs who are starting new businesses particularly defense and homeland security which have been identified by Macomb County and the State of Michigan as viable and emerging growth sectors. This year’s funding request would be used to support information technology upgrades and implement a planning and feasibility study related to creating a Defense Robotics Cluster within Macomb County.

Macomb County Business Assistance Center, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202.

Amount Requested: $437,500

The Wayne State University School of Business Administration is working to support the economic transformation of Macomb County. The Macomb County Business Assistance Center utilizes MBA students, working with Wayne State faculty and a network of alumni and other volunteers, to assist small family-owned business, mid-sized manufacturers, start-ups, and non-profit organizations in areas such as marketing research, business strategy, review and development of business plans, marketing plans, financial projections, information technology assessment, and human resource development programs. The Center provides a stipend to the MBA students, allowing the SBAC to provide services free of charge. The requested funding would be used to would be used to support the center’s operations and allow it to expand the number of businesses served.

Interior/EPA

Clinton River Watershed Woody Debris and Obstruction Removal Project; Macomb County Public Works Office, 21777 Dunham Road, Clinton Township, MI 48036

Amount requested: $275,000

The funding for this project would be used to manage larger debris in the Clinton River that has a negative impact on habitat. Excess large woody debris in the Clinton River can redirect flow and cause the undercutting of streambanks and impede recreational use of the waterways.

Illicit Discharge Elimination Program Facility Dye Testing; Macomb County Public Health Department, 43525 Elizabeth, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043

Amount requested: $137,500

This project will target areas of the Clinton River Watershed in Macomb County with the goal of using dye testing in buildings to locate illicit sewer connections to the storm drain. The funding will help detect and eliminate improper connections and reduce pollution in Lake St. Clair and its watershed.

Oakland/Macomb Interceptor, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, One Public Works Blvd., Bldg. 95 West, Waterford, MI 48238

Amount requested: $1 million

The funding will be used to assist Oakland and Macomb Counties to repair and rehabilitate the Oakland/Macomb Interceptor. The Interceptor is a large, 21.4 mile sewer that is the sole conduit that transports sanitary sewage from over 300,000 residents of Oakland and Macomb Counties to the City of Detroit for treatment. The Interceptor is 40 years old and is in need of extensive and costly repairs.

Labor/HHS/Education

Automation Alley Information Technology Career Pathways Project, Automation Alley, 2675 Bellingham, Troy, Michigan, 48083

Amount Requested: $428,000

Funding will train workers for employment in healthcare technology. The program will provide 200 dislocated workers and at-risk students with training in information technology and connect participants to current job needs.

Community Connect: Electronic Healthcare Record and Centralized Information System, Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority, 2011 Executive Hills Blvd. Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Amount Requested: $500,000.

Funding will be used to expand the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority’s existing electronic medical record system to 186 group home sites. The Authority has already implemented health IT at various clinics and offices and via hand-held devices used by home-visit case workers. This funding would enable it to expand the system to the group homes, which serve about 1,500 severely mentally-ill and developmentally disabled people.

Computerized Provider Order Entry, Mt. Clemens Hospital, 1000 Harrington Blvd Mount Clemens MI 48043

Amount Requested: $750,000

Funding will be used to implement Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) as part of the hospital’s electronic medical record. Computerized Provider Order Entry enables physicians and other providers to electronically enter instructions for the treatment of patients. These orders are communicated over a computer network to other medical staff (nurses, therapists, pharmacists, or other physicians) or to the departments (pharmacy, laboratory or radiology) responsible for fulfilling the order. In comparison to paper orders, CPOE can speed the transmission of the orders, provide for tracking of instructions in a centralized location, and minimize errors associated with misinterpreted handwriting. CPOE is an important component to a high-performing electronic medical record system.

Computerized Provider Order Entry, St. John’s Providence Hospital, 28000 Dequindre Warren, MI 48092

Amount Requested: $400,000

Funding will be used to implement Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) as part of the hospital’s electronic medical record. CPOE enables physicians and other providers to electronically enter instructions for the treatment of patients. These orders are communicated over a computer network to other medical staff (nurses, therapists, pharmacists, or other physicians) or to the departments (pharmacy, laboratory or radiology) responsible for fulfilling the order. In comparison to paper orders, CPOE can speed the transmission of the orders, provide for tracking of instructions in a centralized location, and minimize errors associated with misinterpreted handwriting. CPOE is an important component to a high-performing electronic medical record system.

Cancer Survivorship Network, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R, Mail Code PRO5GR Detroit, MI 48201

Amount Requested: $3.1 million

Funding will be used to establish and coordinate services for cancer survivors. The services will be available to all Karmanos patients, and will include support groups, counseling, referrals to supportive resources, , and some financial and transportation assistance for those who qualify. Part of the funding will also be used for research to determine the most effective and valued services for cancer survivors.

Diabetes Care and Support Program, Henry Ford Health System, 1 Ford Place, Detroit, Michigan, 48202

Amount Requested: $200,000

Funding will be used to provide coordinated diabetes care management services, with a focus on assisting high-risk, uninsured patients. Patients will be offered a diabetes care management plan with case management services, to include telephone and email contact. The goal of the project is to support the patients and encourage self-care and nutrition that will stabilize glucose levels and bring them within normal ranges. The project will leverage the Henry Ford Health System’s electronic medical record and patient website capabilities to identify patients with diabetes who are most appropriate for the planned interventions.

Employment Services for Older Workers, Jewish Vocational Services, 29699 Southfield Road, Southfield, Michigan, 48076

Amount Requested: $200,000

Funding would provide employment services to dislocated workers over the age of 50. This expands a workforce program for older workers that JVS currently administers and will allow the agency to provide regular, consistent services. JVS will partner with Michigan Works to administer the program.

Green Jobs Education, Training, and Placement for Displaced Workers, Lawrence Technological University, 2100 West Ten Mile Road, Southfield, Michigan, 48075

Amount Requested: $2,500,000

Funding will prepare students and dislocated workers for careers in green jobs. The program will utilize partnerships with workforce development agencies and businesses to identify job needs and design certificate programs specific to current demand.

Iraqi Refugee Resettlement and Employment Initiative, Chaldean Community Federation, 29850 Northwestern Highway, Suite 250, Southfield, Michigan, 48034

Amount Requested: $400,000

Funding will support training and employment programs for Iraqis who have been resettled in Michigan by the U.S. Department of State. Using partnerships with Wayne State University and the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce, the Federation will identify job needs; help legal refugees access training programs, social services, and transportation; and administer English-as-a-second-language courses and career-preparatory seminars to assist legal refugees transition to life in the United States.

Nonprofit Support for Families in Need, Wayne State School of Social Work, 4756 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201

Amount Requested: $600,000.

Funding will provide capacity-building and technical assistance to Macomb and Oakland County social service agencies. The medical and behavioral health literature provides numerous examples of research-tested social work practices that can save lives, improve mental health and help families and communities. This project will build capacity among staff at social service agencies by providing training in the use of cutting-edge best practices in child welfare, violence prevention, substance abuse and mental health interventions and to track outputs and outcomes on clients served. WSU School of Social Work will manage the project through the Macomb Education Center. The project will also fund placement of liaisons at the organizations to provide ongoing support in adopting and implementing the best practices.

Oak Park Career Exposure, Oak Park Business and Education Alliance, 25900 Greenfield Road, Oak Park, Michigan, 48237

Amount Requested: $250,000

Funding will provide mentoring, internships, and job skills instruction to students in the Oak Park School district, exposing students to careers and opportunities they would not experience in the classroom environment. A career mentoring program matches mentors from corporate partners with high school students and a student mentoring program matches alumni of the career mentoring program with younger students. The program also provides internships at William Beaumont Hospital and with the City of Oak Park.

Support for Newly Arrived Refugees and Immigrants, Kurdish Human Rights Watch, 28091 Dequindre Rd. Suite 105A Madison Heights, MI 48071

Amount Requested: $500,000

Funding will be used to provide social services and language classes to Iraqi, Afghan, Iranian, Somali legal refugees and special immigrants. The program would serve newly arrived legal immigrants in Warren, Sterling Heights, Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Southfield and other cities in the 12th district and help them make an effective integration and adjustment to the U.S..

Transportation/HUD

Detroit Zoo Wildlife Conservation Center, Detroit Zoological Society, 8450 W. Ten Mile Road, Royal Oak, Michigan, 48067

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Funding will support the design and construction of a polar wildlife conservation center at the Detroit Zoo. The project is expected to create more than 100 design, engineering, and construction jobs over the course of three years. Once completed, the polar wildlife center, which will be the largest of its kind in the world, is expected to generate more than $3 million in sustained annual economic impact in the Metropolitan Detroit area. It will also provide the public and students with an engaging learning experience.

Forgotten Harvest Facility Capacity-Building Completion, Forgotten Harvest, 21800 Greenfield Road, Oak Park, Michigan, 48237

Amount Requested: $542,000

Funding will complete the capacity expansion of Forgotten Harvest’s facility in Oak Park. This will enable Forgotten Harvest to rescue and distribute 36 million pounds of food annually and optimize the use of the community kitchen for meal assembly and a pilot program in food services job training. Forgotten Harvest rescues surplus food and distributes it free-of-charge to over 155 agencies in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties.

Gratiot Avenue Alternatives Analysis, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), 535 Griswold Street, Suite 300, Detroit, Michigan, 48226

Amount Requested: $2,800,000

Funding will conduct alternatives analysis along Gratiot Avenue from Woodward Avenue to M-59. Alternatives analysis includes preliminary analysis, design, and engineering for transit on this corridor. Rapid transit service along Gratiot Avenue will promote commercial and residential development and connect riders with universities, medical facilities, shopping, and sports venues. It will also improve air quality and reduce automotive congestion.

Gratiot Avenue Trail in Clinton Township, Macomb County Road Commission, 1 South Main, 7th Floor, New Administration Building, Clinton Township, Michigan, 48036

Amount Requested: $1,300,000

Funding will extend the non-motorized Gratiot trail from downtown Mount Clemens to Clinton Township. It will improve access to the City of Mount Clemens and to the County-wide trail. The trail extension will also link to the SMART’s bus service on Gratiot, replacing the muddy worn paths with a safe, ten-foot wide asphalt surface. This project will benefit transit users and attract visitors to downtown Mount Clemens, contributing to the local economy.

HOPE Center in Macomb, Warren Woods Community Connections, 14300 E. 13 Mile Road, Warren, Michigan, 48088

Amount Requested: $1.5 million

Funding will be used to acquire and renovate a client-choice food pantry and establish a permanent service center that provides one-stop shopping for food services and other non-profit human service organizations. The H.O.P.E. (Housing, Opportunities, and Provisions for Everyone) Center in Macomb will make it easier for impoverished, unemployed, and underemployed Macomb County residents to access support services.

Improvements to Senior Citizen Housing, City of Warren, 26600 Burg, Warren, Michigan, 48089

Amount Requested: $920,500

Funding will support safety and facility upgrades to senior housing in Warren. The facilities contain 364 housing units for low-income senior citizens. Funding uses include: replacing fire alarm panels and sensors, purchasing security cameras for the parking lots, replacing 244 furnaces, installing exterior railings and interior handrails, installing handicap-accessible entry doors, and replacing the roofs of two buildings. Such upgrades will improve the quality of life for residents in these housing units.

Lahser Road Adaptive Signal Upgrades, Road Commission for Oakland County, 31001 Lahser Road, Beverly Hills, Michigan, 48025

Amount Requested: $1,100,000

Funding will upgrade eight (8) traffic signals on Lahser Road, from 8 Mile Road to 12 Mile Road, in the City of Southfield. The new signals will be adaptive, allowing the Road Commission to optimize the use of the existing road system, reduce congestion, balance peak traffic flows, adjust for traffic backups and accidents, and improve safety.

Oak Park Civic Center Project, City of Oak Park, 13600 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, Michigan, 48237

Amount Requested: $2,500,000

Funding will help finance the construction of two new energy-efficient civic-center buildings in Oak Park, one which will house City Hall and administrative offices and one which will house municipal services. The existing city offices face energy losses, leaking roofs, failing plumbing, and ADA compliance issues. The new facilities will centralize services for Oak Park residents and businesses, making it more convenient to access programs and conduct municipal business.

M-59 Alternatives Analysis, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), 535 Griswold Street, Suite 300, Detroit, Michigan, 48226

Amount Requested: $2,800,000

Funding will conduct alternatives analysis along M-59 from Woodward Avenue to Gratiot Avenue. Alternatives analysis includes preliminary analysis, design, and engineering for transit on this corridor. Rapid transit service along M-59 will promote commercial and residential development and connect riders with universities, medical facilities, shopping, and sports venues. It will also improve air quality and reduce automotive congestion.

Resurfacing of Coolidge Highway, City of Huntington Woods, 26815 Scotia Road, Huntington Woods, Michigan, 48070

Amount Requested: 972,500

Funding will repair Coolidge Highway from I0 Mile to 11 Mile in Huntington Woods. The existing asphalt overlay in the two northbound lanes and center turn lane will be removed and replaced with new asphalt pavement and improvements would be made to curbs, gutters, and draining structures. The road in its current state requires frequent repairs at significant cost to the taxpayer. A resurfaced roadway will benefit local businesses and ease travel for area residents.

SMART Hybrid-Electric Paratransit Vehicles, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), 535 Griswold Street, Suite 600, Detroit, Michigan, 48226

Amount Requested: $3 million

Funding will allow SMART to purchase 20 hybrid-electric paratransit vehicles. Such vehicles provide curb-to-curb service for seniors and persons with disabilities. Most of the new buses will replace aging diesel-powered vehicles, which will increase fuel economy by 40 percent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent.

Woodward Corridor Extension Alternatives Analysis, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), 535 Griswold Street, Suite 300, Detroit, Michigan, 48226

Amount Requested: $2,800,000

Funding will conduct alternatives analysis along Woodward Avenue from West Grand Boulevard to M-59. Alternatives analysis includes preliminary analysis, design, and engineering for transit on this corridor. Rapid transit service along Woodward will extend the light rail system currently under development from Jefferson Avenue to West Grand Boulevard, promote commercial and residential development, and connect riders with universities, medical facilities, shopping, and sports venues. It will also improve air quality and reduce automotive congestion.

• Click here to view fiscal year 2010 Funding Request