MLive had a great article on the proposed automated lane project along I-94 today. The project will stretch from Ann Arbor-Saline Rd to the Lodge Freeway using the existing far left lane. The lane would have barriers set up to separate it from the existing lanes and entry points would be designated. If a future phase as automated cars become more common, a lane would be built exclusively for them using private funds.


I-94 could host self-driving vehicle lanes between Ann Arbor and Detroit. Here’s how to learn more



When fully complete, it would stretch from Ann Arbor-Saline Road in Ann Arbor to M-10, the Lodge Freeway, in Detroit, officials said.


MDOT previously announced open houses in the Ann Arbor area in March for the project but then postponed them, saying officials and Cavnue needed “further alignment” on an environmental study necessary for the project before presenting it to the public. The Belleville event is meant to discuss the environmental study, and more meetings are anticipated at different points along the proposed corridor in Wayne and Washtenaw counties in 2023, MDOT officials said.


The Ann Arbor meetings haven’t yet been rescheduled, though MDOT anticipates hosting an open house in Washtenaw County sometime this year, spokesperson Rob Morosi said in an email.


Officials have said the project would involve designated I-94 lanes with equipment for autonomous vehicles and smart technology, including sensors to detect traffic, weather and road conditions, while allowing driverless vehicles to communicate with each other.


“At its core, the project is designed to be ‘future-proofed’ and evolve to meet transportation goals, beginning with connected buses and shared mobility vehicles such as vans and shuttles, and expanding to additional types of [[connected and automated vehicles) such as freight and personal vehicles,” reads a project description on MDOT’s website. The lanes will likely be physically separated from the rest of the highway, accessible only at certain points. At the start of the project, all vehicles will be able to use them, but as self-driving vehicles become more common and their usage exceeds a certain threshold, the lanes may be restricted to only the high-tech vehicles, according to a question and answer page for the project.


Construction will bring improved pavement and updated striping on the far-left lane of I-94 in both directions, as well as new poles to support camera and sensor equipment installed along the median and new signs to identify lane entrances and exits, according to MDOT.


The building of the specialized lanes is expected to be privately funded, the agency says. They would be built in three phases, with the first stretching from U.S. 23 in the west to Oakwood Boulevard in the east.
https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...earn-more.html