As summer travel around Michigan picks up and potholes remain a persistent threat, Fix MI State has announced five new winners of the Pothole Payback contest, offering cash relief for costly vehicle repairs caused by Michigan’s crumbling roads. The announcement adds to continued calls for the Michigan Senate to pass a long-term, equitable and sustainable road funding solution to reverse decades of underinvestment in infrastructure.
The May winners and their stories reflect the widespread nature of Michigan’s road crisis:
- Jodi Shaw of Portage (Senate District 19) hit a massive pothole on I-94, bending her rims and leading to all four tires needing to be replaced. In State Senator Sean McCann’s district, 22.4% of roads are in poor condition.
- Elena Lee of Brownstown (Senate District 4) was driving to an appointment in downtown Detroit and drove over a huge pothole that destroyed her tires. In State Senator Darrin Camilleri’s district, 28.1% of roads are in poor condition.
- Moustafa Hamed of Dearborn (Senate District 2) drove over a pothole that was covered by snow, ruining his tires and lower bumper. In State Senator Sylvia Santana’s district, 31.6% of roads are in poor condition.
- Cindi Sawtell of Temperance (Senate District 37) hit a crater-sized pothole while driving her elder loved ones home, destroying her rims and leaving them to abandon the vehicle for four days. In State Senator Joe Bellino’s district, 24.2% of roads are in poor condition.
- Fadia Taylor-Cline of Kentwood (Senate District 29) hit potholes driving around Grand Rapids and had to get her vehicle’s ball joint and control arm replaced. In Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks’ district, 31.1% of roads are in poor condition.
Each winner will receive up to $758, the average cost of pothole-related repairs in Michigan, according to the 2024 TRIP Report.
“Pothole Payback continues to show how broken our infrastructure really is,” said Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association. “We can’t patch our way out of this. Michigan families deserve safe, drivable roads, and they deserve action now from the Michigan Senate.”
Fix MI State’s Pothole Payback contest continues through June, selecting up to five residents each month to receive financial support for pothole-related repairs.
Residents can enter the contest by sharing their story and photos through this form. Full contest rules and eligibility details are available at FixMIState.org/potholepayback.