LANSING — Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be investing $84.7 million to improve 162 miles of roadway and 33 bridges in the MDOT Southwest Region in 2012.

The southwest region is composed of nine counties, including Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren.

The 2012 program will provide approximately $66.7 million for pavement repair and roughly $18 million to repair bridges.

“Improving transportation infrastructure benefits motorists and communities, making roadways safer and more reliable, as well as encouraging economic growth and development,” said Bobbi Welke, an MDOT engineer. The following “high-impact projects” are scheduled for 2012:

Allegan County

• M-89: An $11 million investment to rebuild more than 2 miles of M-89 from 12th Street to Hicks Avenue in Plainwell, including rebuilding and repairing bridges over the Kalamazoo River mill race and US-131.

• I-196: A $13 million investment to rebuild more than 9 miles of northbound I-196 from 130th Avenue to U.S. 31 near Saugatuck and Holland.

Barry County

• M-43 and M-37: A $5 million investment to repave and rebuild almost 2 miles of M-43 and M-37 from Hanover Street to the north city limits in Hastings, including repairing the bridge over the Thornapple River.

Berrien County

• M-63: A $1 million investment to repair the M-63 bridge over I-94 in St. Joseph Township.

Branch County

• I-69: An $882,000 investment to repair the Jonesville Road bridge over I-69 in Coldwater.

Kalamazoo County

• M-331: A $1.3 million investment to replace the M-331 (Park Street) bridge over Axtel Creek in Kalamazoo.