Great Lakes Wire

Construction of Our Next Energy's (ONE) new gigafactory in Wayne County is spurring the renovation of Haggerty Road in Van Buren Township.

The move will ensure that products from the gigafactory can reliably be transported, according to a press release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI). The state of Michigan supports the company's growth through this renovation and expansion.

"The deployment of this grant represents months of collaboration between multiple levels and government alongside the private sector," Deeana Ahmed, vice president of strategy, policy, and sustainability at ONE, said in the press release. "Improving Michigan's roads has been a hallmark of accelerating the state's economic growth and facilitating investment from industry leaders like ONE.

"The administration has an excellent record of leadership in understanding the vital connection between infrastructure funding and private development. ONE is proud to call Ashley Capital, Van Buren Township, Wayne County, and MDOT [Michigan Department of Transportation] partners in our efforts to launch our inaugural factory and deliver thousands of good-paying jobs to Michiganders."

ONE is based in Novi, Michigan, and manufactures sustainable batteries for electric vehicles, the press release noted. The development of the gigafactory is expected to create 2,112 new jobs and a $1.6 billion investment in the economy.

"Investments in our roads and bridges help Michiganders go to work, drop their kids off at school, and run errands safely," Whitmer said in the press release. "Since I took office through the end of this year, Michigan will have fixed 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, bolstering our economy and connecting our hard-working communities. With today's grants, we are investing in Michigan communities and making Michigan more competitive. I will work with anyone to advance our economic development and build a Michigan where everyone can envision a bright future for themselves."

The rehabilitation of Haggerty Road was a major reason for ONE's choice of Wayne County for its factory location, according to the press release. The road improvements will be an asset for potential economic development efforts.

"Ashley Capital is excited to partner with MDOT, Wayne County, and Van Buren Township to see Haggerty Road upgraded," Kyle Morton, vice president of development for Ashley Capital, said in the press release. "Haggerty Road is the backbone of the industrial market in the area, and the planned improvements to Haggerty Road were integral in landing ONE as a tenant at Crossroads Distribution Center."