Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


After years of increasing semi-truck traffic in the Webberville area, residents are fed up and concerned about safety.

The truck traffic is associated with the ALDI warehouse on M-52, off I-96, in the Village of Webberville.

Residents are not only concerned but also frustrated by the lack of action and have reached out to WHMI - with some noting the situation seems to be getting even worse lately.

Residents say dozens of trucks are making nightly deliveries that block the lanes and turn lanes on M-52, as well as the on/off ramps to I-96 – sometimes into the early morning hours. People can’t get on or off the freeway, or to some of the local businesses such as McDonald’s and the Mobil Gas Station, and many are concerned about safety, crashes, and people getting injured. They noted cars are wedged between the trucks, and it’s scary due to blocked vantage points.

Sam Schulte had served as Village Council President Po-Tem but was recently elected to the president position and will take office November 20th. President Brad Hitchcock did not run for re-election.

Schulte told WHMI ALDI is located within the Village limits and has been a great community partner and created good jobs for the area, but as they’ve grown, so has their truck traffic. He said every night, trucks carry goods in and out, which are essentially being staged in the turn lane on M-52 for multiple truck lengths. Schulte said that’s created some issues where residents and travelers have not been able to enter or exit the highway, and have a general sense of being unsafe when traveling through that area.

Schulte said issues have been going on for at least 3 or 4 years now, basically nightly. He noted the traffic also certainly has the potential to impact local businesses – if travelers are uncomfortable going through that area, it stands to reason they might be reluctant to do so.

Schulte said M-52 is a state road, and the Village has tried working with ALDI directly, the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, and even MDOT to try to find some sort of long-term solution to the seemingly ongoing problem. He noted they have gotten assistance from various parties via electronic signs and notices that seem to offer some temporary relief but nothing that’s been longstanding.
Schulte said his goal is to try to work with ALDI directly, saying they’ve been a great partner and neighbor in the community and thinks they can be a partner in finding a solution.

Schulte further stressed that his number one priority is the safety of the community, residents, and travelers through Webberville. He said they are very aware the traffic is creating potential hazards and they are working as hard as they can to come to a long-term solution so residents can feel safe again.

In the meantime, Schulte said people in the area or those who might be traveling through should expect to encounter heavy truck traffic between roughly the hours of 7 and 11pm, and potentially seek alternate routes if necessary.

Messages seeking comment were placed with ALDI and Michigan State Police but were not returned. The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office referred comment to MSP.