ESCANABA — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is awarding a state Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) Category F grant of $116,612 to the Delta County Road Commission (DCRC) to improve County Road (CR) 531.

“Fixing Michigan’s roads will help us keep families safe, attract businesses, and grow our economy,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “I’m proud that we’re rolling up our sleeves and getting to work in Delta County, and I will continue working hard to ensure every Michigander can drive to work and drop their kids at school safely, without blowing a tire or cracking a windshield.”

CR-531 is an all-season route connecting M-35 with CR-420 in Wells Township. The road services a number of commercial and industrial businesses and is part of the truck bypass route for US-2/US-41 through Escanaba. Years of heavy use has contributed to the deterioration of the road surface and the pavement is nearing the end of its operational life. To preserve the road’s all-season capabilities, DCRC will mill and resurface CR-531 from M-35 to CR-420.

The total cost of construction is $155,483, including $116,612 in Category F funds and $38,871 from DCRC.

Enacted in 1987 and reauthorized in 1993, the TEDF helps finance highway, road and street projects that are critical to the movement of people and products, and getting workers to their jobs, materials to growers and manufacturers, and finished goods to consumers. TEDF “Category F” or “Urban Areas in Rural Counties” grants provide state funding for public roadway improvements that create system continuity with the secondary all-season road system.

Category F grants provide funding for projects that include improving access to the state all-season system or improving safety and all-season capabilities on routes having high commercial traffic. Eligible road agencies include county road commissions, cities and villages. More information about the program is available online at the website www.Michigan.gov/TEDF.