Michigan’s road and bridge network may have to be moved to ICU.
A report released by state lawmakers has revealed a deteriorating condition and not a whole lot of funding hope in the near future. According to recent data, 35% of the state’s roads are in poor condition, while 47% were in fair shape and just 18% were marked as good. Michigan spends approximately $1.4 billion a year on construction projects, but the figure is expected to dip to below $700 million in 2012 due to weakening state fuel tax receipts and vehicle registrations. The bipartisan conditions report, authored by state representatives Rick Olson and Roy Schmidt, concluded that Michigan needed to generate $1.4 billion more annually to keep up with the maintenance demands of its roads and bridges.
“I’m a conservative Republican, someone who wants to make sure we get value for our money, and I wanted to be sure those numbers weren’t cooked,” Olson told the Detroit Free Press. “As a conservative, it’s hard for me to say we need to come up with more revenue, but that’s the bottom-line conclusion of the study.”
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to release his transportation plan this month, and many are hoping it involves an increase in the state’s gas tax and vehicle registration fee.
