Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association (MITA), issued the following statement following Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Road Ahead address:
“We appreciate Governor Whitmer calling for action to fund and fix Michigan’s roads and bridges. For decades, Michigan has underfunded critical road and bridge construction, leading to the $3.9 billion annual infrastructure funding deficit we are now faced with.
“As the governor said, we are facing a funding cliff at the end of 2025. The progress we’ve made in recent years will be lost if Michigan’s leaders fail to act soon. Speaker Hall, Senate Majority Leader Brinks, and Senate Minority Leader Nesbitt have echoed the governor in naming increased investment in our roads and bridges as a top priority in Michigan. We look forward to seeing action soon, as drivers around the state can’t afford to wait any longer. As the 2024 TRIP report noted, Michigan drivers face an annual cost of $17 billion due to deteriorated roads. We must take action before it gets any more costly.
“We urge Michigan’s leaders to act now on a long-term, equitable, and sustainable infrastructure plan to get Michigan back on the right track. Michigan residents can’t afford to wait any longer.”