Here are a few of the stories we're following this week:
The toll on our roads
It's no secret Michigan roads need help; cross any state line and you'll see a noticeable difference. And while Governor Whitmer has kept up her promise to 'fix the damn roads,' the state needs a more sustaining solution. Is it time to collect tolls? New feasibility and implementation studies have been released, and state officials will start discussing implementation. Most of the tolled roads would be in the lower half of the lower peninsula, including 94, 75, and 96 (not within cities, but on long stretches of road). There wouldn't be a toll booth, but rather an electronic system with in-car transponders and invoicing drivers without them. And this is still a ways away - implementation wouldn't start until 2028. It could be a tough sell to drivers, but every state around us does it. Thoughts? Bridge Michigan
More news soon on the upcoming AC Hotel by Marriott
The Roxbury Group has been planning a new hotel in Midtown for years; originally it was to sit near Wayne State, until plans changed to build it next to the Bonstelle Theatre in Brush Park. Crain's has learned that the developers are planning to go to city council for a 10-year tax abatement for the project. Plans call for the hotel to be open in time for the 2024 NFL draft, meaning we should be hearing news about a groundbreaking very soon. Also expected nearby--apartments and that long-awaited Midtown Target. Stay tuned. Crain's Business Detroit
The Cambria Hotel Detroit
When developer Eric Means died unexpectedly in 2020, his wife Tracy kept the the construction of the $50 million Cambria Hotel Detroit moving forward. The Cambria Hotel will bring 158 guest rooms, dining and event space to the west side of downtown later this year. This video from the city gives us a look into what to expect in the hotel, and the woman leading the development.
