Michigan construction anticipated to resume May 7

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced residential and commercial construction work will resume in the state May 7, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Whitmer earlier said that residential and commercial construction would be among the first sectors of the economy to reopen as she gradually lifts her stay-at-home order, which is currently set to continue through May 15.

“I would anticipate in the coming days if our trajectory of hospitalizations continues to go down and our ability to test continues to go up that we will go into the next low-risk category,” Whitmer said in a news conference regarding how she is assessing the virus’s risk in different economic sectors. “That might include some construction, for instance. That might include some additional outdoor enterprises.”

While some road construction projects have continued under the state's stay-at-home order, private projects and public projects on buildings such as schools have come to a halt. 

"It's great news," says Kevin Koehler, president of the Construction Association of Michigan. Koehler adds he is still awaiting full details about the start-up, first reported by Michigan Information & Research Service, a Capitol newsletter.

"The continued pragmatic and safe measures to get Michigan back to work that Gov. Whitmer is taking, such as opening up the construction sector on May 7, aligns with the Chamber’s point of view for reactivating the economy in phases,” says Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber.

According to Baruah, a recent Chamber poll showed 61 percent of workers felt safe returning to work and 60 percent reported they trusted their employer to keep them safe.