LANSING, Mich. – Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association (MITA), issued the following statement after the announcement from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of the formation of the Growing Michigan Together Council tasked with developing a solution for Michigan’s road funding crisis:
“We’re encouraged by the action Gov. Whitmer is taking to form a council tasked with solving our road funding crisis. Report after report has shown the need for a significant long-term investment in Michigan’s roads, dams, bridges and other critical infrastructure, and the time for action is now.
“Unfortunately, decades of under-investment have led us to the hole we’re in today. Even with the boost in funding from the Governor’s bonding program and the federal government, Michigan still faces a startling $3.9 billion annual funding shortfall for our roads and bridges, according to the Michigan Transportation Infrastructure Needs and Funding Solutions report. Anderson Economic Group found in a recent study that with the rise of electric vehicles, funding for roads through the gas tax will drop significantly over the coming years. And the 2023 Report Card for Michigan’s Infrastructure gave our roads a grade of D, confirming their poor condition poses a risk to the public. This is unacceptable and the time to take action to solve this problem is now.
“We look forward to working with the council in any way we can to develop a long-term, equitable and sustainable investment plan to improve Michigan’s critical infrastructure for generations to come. After all, this is a quality-of-life issue that holds our state back from growing, and we shouldn’t settle for crumbling roads and bridges. Michigan’s construction industry stands ready to fix the roads, and we look forward to being part of the solution.”
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The Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association is a statewide trade association that represents a broad spectrum of heavy construction companies and suppliers that help build a better Michigan from the ground up. For more information, visit thinkmita.org.