Got an e-mail from MDOT today. Looks like busting up bathrooms ain't just a Detroit thing anymore.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, MAY 5, 2014
CONTACT:
Kari Arend, MDOT Office of Communications, 517-750-0406, arendk@michigan.gov
Nick Schirripa, MDOT Office of Communications, 269-337-3927, schirripan@michigan.gov
MDOT says repairs under way at vandalized rest areas
May 5, 2014 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation [[MDOT) wants travelers to know that most of the Michigan rest areas vandalized over the weekend remain open and operable.

The damage involves cracked or smashed urinals, toilets and sinks in the men's rest rooms at four locations, including westbound I-94 in Galesburg, westbound I-94 in Marshall, westbound I-94 in Grass Lake, and the Dundee Welcome Center on northbound US-23.

Most of the affected facilities have two sets of men's and two sets of women's rest rooms. MDOT is converting one of women's rest rooms to a men's rest room at all of the locations except Grass Lake to make them temporarily accessible to men while repairs are under way. The rest area on westbound I-94 in Grass Lake is closed temporarily until repairs can be made. MDOT expects it will take several days to obtain enough new fixtures to reopen the Grass Lake Rest Area.

"This senseless vandalism is deplorable because it wastes state resources and taxpayer dollars on something that never should have happened," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "At a time when MDOT is working hard to stretch severely limited funding to keep state road pavement in good condition, we are being forced to spend time and money restoring facilities we take pride in maintaining for the safety and convenience of motorists."

The Michigan State Police [[MSP) is investigating. Anyone with information about this vandalism is urged to call the MSP Coldwater Post at 517-278-2373.

MDOT is gathering information and cost estimates to determine the total cost of repairing or replacing the damage at all four affected facilities. A ballpark estimate is $33,000 for repairs, including $25,000 in materials [[toilets, urinals, sinks and miscellaneous hardware) and $8,000 in labor and equipment costs for cleaning up the damage, removing the damaged fixtures, picking up new fixtures, and installing new fixtures. The funding will come from MDOT's maintenance budget, already strained by above-average pothole repairs and winter-related expenditures. On average, MDOT spends $88 million on winter maintenance; this winter, it spent $127 million.
###

Roadway Work Zone Safety - We're All in This Together.

www.michigan.gov/drive | www.twitter.com/MichiganDOT | www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT