Governor Jennifer M. Granholm recently announced an approximately $1.3-million state Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) Category A grant that will bring 135 new jobs to Wayne County. The state grant will leverage nearly $2 billion in private investment.
"This project will create good paying jobs, stimulate local economic growth, and help improve Michigan's infrastructure," Granholm said.
The TEDF "Category A" or "Target Industries Program" provides funding for roadwork and other transportation improvements to encourage private investments in Michigan that will create or retain jobs. Such improvements will help accommodate increased traffic and provide commercial routes that are safe and more efficient for new and expanding companies. A minimum of 20 percent in local matching funds is required.
Wayne CountyMarathon Petroleum Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corporation, an integrated international energy company engaged in exploration and production, oil sands mining, integrated gas and refining, marketing, and transporting transportation fuels and other petroleum products.
The $1.9-billion Detroit Heavy Oil Upgrade Program is a refiners and pipeline enhancement project that will allow heavy, viscous, high-sulfur Canadian crude oil to be processed at Marathon Petroleum Company's Detroit refinery, the only oil refinery in the state. Marathon looked at locations in Minnesota and Illinois before choosing to expand at its Detroit location due to favorable economics and positive support from the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit. The proposed road improvements will address additional traffic congestion that will result along Oakwood Boulevard, Dix Street and Schaefer Highway due to the additional traffic generated by the new facility.
A number of projects will support this important economic development at Michigan's only oil refinery. One project will widen the intersection of Schaefer and Dix to allow for dual left turns from Dix to southbound Schaefer, and will include signal improvements to improve traffic flow. There will also be signal upgrades at the Schaefer/Oakwood/Francis and Oakwood/Dix intersections to improve the flow of traffic generated by the new facility. A new pedestrian signal will be added at the Oakwood and Pleasant intersection to allow workers to safely cross Oakwood from the employee parking lot to the refinery. Finally, Dix from Oakwood to Schaefer, and Oakwood, from the refinery entrance to Dix, will be resurfaced to provide an improved driving surface.
The proposed cost of these transportation improvements is approximately $1.6 million, including approximately $1.3 million in state TEDF funds, and $316,726 in local match from Wayne County and Marathon Petroleum Company.
