Michigan to develop corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles
A new initiative announced last week by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer aims to bridge long-standing gaps in access to transit and transportation across southeast Michigan through the development of a corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).
The vision for the Detroit to Ann Arbor corridor is to create lanes that are purpose built to accelerate and enhance the full potential of CAVs and move people.
The corridor would support a mix of connected and autonomous vehicles, traditional transit vehicles, shared mobility and freight and personal vehicles. It would link key destinations and includes up to a dozen Opportunity Zones, where expanded mobility will connect individuals, small businesses and communities.
The state has selected Cavnue, a subsidiary of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, as the corridor’s Master Developer to help deliver this vision. Cavnue plans to work with regional partners to plan, design and develop what it calls the world’s most sophisticated roadway. One that will improve the mobility experience and evolve to meet transportation goals. Cavnue plans to start the project with connected buses and shared mobility vehicles, such as vans and shuttles, before expanding to additional types of CAVs, such as freight and personal vehicles.
“As the anatomy of vehicles continues to shift toward autonomous driving and electrification, Michigan has an opportunity to not only drive this evolution in the production of vehicles but also in the very roads they drive on,” said Trevor Pawl, the state’s chief mobility officer. “This groundbreaking project reinforces Michigan’s current position as a global leader in mobility innovation, and it also keeps us moving forward on a path to more equitable, safe and environmentally conscious transportation in the state.”
Phase One of the project is expected to take 24 months and will include a feasibility analysis. This analysis will focus on technology testing, roadway design and exploring different financing models with an aim toward determining project viability from both a technology and business perspective. Subsequent construction and implementation would be part of future phases of the project to be determined following the initial 24-month period.
Initial project partners include Ford Motor Company, the University of Michigan with its CAV research center and Mcity Test Facility, Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), and facilities along the proposed corridor; and the American Center for Mobility (ACM), a leading testing facility.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
