For Friday, May 17, 2019

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1 – The re-opening of a scenic auto route is being delayed this year.

Wildlife Drive is due to re-open on July 15 at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County. The 6.5-mile stretch reopened last year on June 1.

Officials say that ongoing restoration work in the refuge is the reason for the delay.

Crews are removing a dike between two pools, which will restore natural connectivity of water for the benefit of nesting waterfowl and other wildlife in the Ferguson Bayou.

Material from the dike removal project will be used to construct a series of islands along the eastern bank of a recently restored marsh.

Work on these projects began in February. But a wet spring caused crews to stop construction.

As weather and conditions allow, contractors will resume restoration work and the reopening of Wildlife Drive is now planned for July 15.

2 – An annual AAA survey says there isn’t much buzz among consumers when it comes to electric vehicles.

The survey that tracks opinions on electric and hybrid vehicles found that while consumer interest remains steady, Americans may not have a solid understanding of electric vehicle performance, which may be giving consumers pause when it comes to considering electric for their next purchase.

For instance, electric vehicles, unlike gas-powered vehicles, do better in stop and go traffic because the car can recapture energy to charge the battery when decelerating.

Officials at AAA Michigan in Dearborn say the survey demonstrates that many consumers are not sure what to expect from an electric vehicle in two of the most common driving scenarios.

AAA did find that 40 million Americans say they would be likely to consider an electric vehicle for their next car purchase.

Concern for the environment and lower long-term costs remain the leading reasons. Previous objections to buying electric with regards to price and range anxiety continue to ease and have trended downward, AAA says.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Friday mornings in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM NPR. Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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