Michigan’s federal roads will get better, and more jobs will be created if and when the federal government finishes a record-breaking infrastructure package. 6 News Capitol Correspondent Tim Kubick reports road builders who left the state years ago, are now coming back.
“It’s the biggest increase we’ve seen out of the federal government for roads,” said Lance Binoniemi of Michigan Road Builders.
If and when the federal infrastructure package is passed, your local potholes will not get any of that money.
But the overpasses on the interstate system and the federal roads will get a huge financial boost. Currently, the state gets about a billion dollars a year from Washington. This package will add a tidy 38% on top of that.
“There’s a couple hundred million each year for the next five years that Michigan transportation will see for roads and bridges,” Binoniemi said.
Years ago when Michigan was underfunding the roads, many of the road builders left the state – but now…
“I’m seeing those members out of North Carolina, Florida, and Indiana bringing in a lot of those workers back to Michigan and their families,” said Binoniemi
“You could estimate five to ten thousand jobs.”
While the president appears to be constructing a bi-partisan coalition on this deal the road builders warn this five-year plan is only a partial fix.
“This is not a long-term sustainable solution. This is for five years and an influx of money into the system but ongoing, we still need a long-term solution and we are not investing enough on the state level for our roads and bridges in Michigan,” said Binoniemi.
But, the road builders are elated to get the money and going into an election year, the governor and every lawmaker up for re-election will be happy too.
This story appeared in WLNS 6 News. For more, click here.