Still No Progress on Money for Michigan Road Repairs

Michigan roads are in a state of disrepair, and there is yet to be a satisfactory solution. Michigan loses $1 billion every year in transportation assets. Michigan infrastructure needs to be repaired and maintained, and our state needs the resources to do it. The average Michigan driver pays about $357 per year in avoidable auto repair costs due to poor roads. The worse road conditions are, the more frequently we must replace tires, struts, shocks, and other expensive parts. Investing in better roads is well worth the effort.

Recent Developments in Proposed Legislation

The GOP had proposed a $1.5 billion plan in the Senate that, by 2017, would raise gasoline and diesel taxes to 34 cents by 2017. The goal would be to generate $700 million a year in revenue to help repair and maintains roads. Proponents say the hike in taxes would track what an increase would have looked like had taxes increased with inflation all along. Republicans want to get a comprehensive plan through in the wake of the failure of Proposal 1 to pass on May 5. Democrats are skeptical of the plan and have put forward their own proposal that would increase business taxes. They support increasing the Corporate Income Tax along with increased fees and fines for large trucks, moves that Republicans won’t support.

Talks have gone through the summer, with a meeting between lawmakers held this past Wednesday, August 18. Unfortunately this week's talks were unsuccessful and the issue will be put off until the fall. Governor Snyder is leaving for China this Friday, but he meets with lawmakers on August 20 for a previously scheduled meeting despite the negative outcome of Wednesday's talks.

Why Are Roads in Such Bad Condition: Will This Mean More Car Accidents?

There is no shortage of reasons.

Most people simply think that there is not enough money available to fix the roads. Michigan has had a 19-cent-per-gallon flat fuel tax. The tax does not reflect inflation and the increased vehicle fuel-efficiency.

Other reasons include high truck weight limits, swampy soil, and severe cycles of freezing and thawing. Michigan has the highest truck weight limits nationally — doubling what other states tolerate. Anyone who has lived in freezing climates has seen roads deteriorate after harsh winters, and the reason for this is water getting in under roads, expanding and contracting as temperatures change. Since Michigan faces these challenges, it is difficult to combat water getting in under the roads.

Some say that another reason for the poor state of roads is due to bad repairs. For example, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) hired a contractor to repave part of Groesbeck Highway in Macomb County. After spending roughly $13.5 million on this project, part of the highway began to crack only 6 months after completion. It came to light that some of the repaving had been done in the colder months of the year due to delays. MDOT claims that with regular maintenance, state roads are generally meant to last 20 years. MDOT also states that it sometimes undertakes extra maintenance in order to extend the life of roads up to 25 to 35 years. However, roads cracking in 6 months tend to undercut the rosiness of that picture. MDOT also states that it can’t give specific numbers on which roads actually do last that long because chronic government underfunding means that the proper maintenance cannot be sustained.

No matter what, one thing is clear — Michigan needs a real solution to a real problem. Our drivers need it, and our future needs it. Only an effective plan will reduce road repairs and accidents, making for safer travel and reliable roadways.

Gridlock and Impasse: Still No Path Forward

Lawmakers met for 9 hours on August 18th to try to reach agreement on funding road repair and maintenance. They were unable to reach consensus and, as a result, talks will be pushed back until after Labor Day. At the core of the problem is where the money will come from to fund repairs and maintenance. A group of Republicans is against raising fuel taxes, registration fees, and other taxes and fees. Democrats, realizing their votes are needed to make up the shortfall, have been pushing for concessions on wage laws, K-12 education, tax relief for low-income earners, and union issues.

Only time will tell whether or not a deal will be reached, but for now, Michigan drivers will have keep tolerating outdated infrastructure.

Our highway accident attorneys at Sachs Waldman care about your safety. If you have been injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, contact our Detroit personal injury offices at (313) 965-3464 for a free, confidential consultation today. We are passionate about fighting for our clients, and there is no fee unless we win.