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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
CUSTER — A push to reduce the speed of traffic on State Street (US 10) in Custer continues. Custer officials, residents and state legislators Sen. Jon Bumstead and Rep. Curt VanderWall met Monday, July 7, at Mason County Eastern High School. The legislators were presented letters from Mason County municipalities and agencies requesting the speed limit be reduced in the village.
While village officials have been campaigning for over a decade to reduce the speed limit, there has been a heightened effort since February after Sammi Bateson, a 16-year-old Mason County Eastern student, was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of State and Main streets.
The meeting included, in addition to the legislators, Mason County Sheriff’s Office Chief Dep. Oscar Davila and Sgt. Matt Warmuskerken; Village President David Sanders, and trustees Ryan Howe and Lon Reader; Mason County Road Commission Manager Steve Wessels, Mason County Eastern Superintendent Paul Shoup; and Anna and Joshua Bateson, parents of Sammi Bateson; and their friend William Hogenson.
Changing the speed limit or traffic patterns on a state highway is not a simple task but rather a long walk through the bureaucratic and political process.
The current speed limit is 50 mph. From 1960 to 2011, it was 40 mph. A 2011 speed study conducted by Michigan State Police resulted in the speed limit being increased. A permanent change in speed limit on a state highway requires approval from the state legislature, under recommendations from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Michigan State Police (MSP).
VanderWall said changing the speed may sound simple but requires a change in legislation, which, unfortunately, is impacted by politics.
The Republican Party currently has the majority in the state House of Representatives while the Democratic Party has the majority in the state Senate and the executive branch.
“Any bill proposed by a Republican in the House will get rejected from the Senate, no matter how well-intentioned it is,” VanderWall said. “Even if the governor supports the bill, the Senate will reject it. It is a very hostile environment in Lansing right now. The Senate Democrats aren’t even getting along with their governor.”
Regardless of the political process, the Batesons are pushing forward. They said they recently met with the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation who is supportive of their efforts. They are attempting to have a new speed study conducted, which sets the standard for whether the state police will recommend reducing the speed.
Anna Bateson said MDOT will not consider a traffic light at the intersection but will consider a round-about. Round-abouts statistically are safer than traffic lights. However, any construction in that area would not happen in the short term.
Samantha “Sammi” Bateson died following a crash on Feb. 19, 2025. She was driving a Buick sedan northbound on Main Street (Custer Road) and pulled in the path of an eastbound pickup truck driven by a 33-year-old Custer man. Her 18-year-old passenger, also a MCE student, was injured as a result of the crash.
While the Mason County Sheriff’s Office crash investigation team determined that speed was not a factor in the crash, it sparked a movement to change the speed of the highway. The first step was the installation of a school speed zone through the village. This effort had already been planned by MDOT since the previous summer but had been delayed.
In March, temporary school speed zone signs were installed, calling for a reduction of speed to 35 mph between 7:45 to 8:15 a.m., 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and 3:15 to 3:45 p.m. Later in the spring, electrified blinking signs were activated.
Superintendent Paul Shoup said the school speed zone is helpful but it’s not enough.
“We have activities at the school all day and into the evening,” Shoup said during the meeting. “There is always something happening at the school.”
Signs and speed limits are only deterrents, however, but do not physically reduce traffic. However, a round-about would require traffic to slow down. The consensus of those attending the meeting appeared to support such a change, but, again, requires the involvement of MDOT which ultimately has jurisdiction over state highways.
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