LANSING – According to Overdrive Magazine’s Highway Report Card, Michigan’s roads are once again ranked high on the list of the worst in the nation – snagging second place this year, up from third in 2009.
While the ranking will not come as much of a surprise to Michigan motorists, forced daily to navigate the unsafe cement and asphalt obstacle courses we call roads, the message this sends to the nation’s leading businesses and job creators is alarming.
The recent list of the top three worst state roads, according to Overdrive Magazine (article attached) – a national trucking publication – is below:
Worst Roads
1. Pennsylvania
2. Michigan
3. New York and California (tie)
“The quality of our roads remains low because our state government’s commitment to our roads remains low,” said Mike Nystrom, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA) and co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team (MTT). “We have the technology and we have the talent to fix our roads, but unfortunately we lack the will. Until the legislature steps up and provides adequate funding to repair our crumbling infrastructure, national groups and publications will keep sending the same message to businesses and job creators across America – stay off Michigan’s roads.”
Under the current proposed Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) budget being reviewed by legislators, Michigan would leave $500 million of federal aid on the table and cut the state highway program by a whopping 62 percent. This drastic decline in funding has forced MDOT to scale back their 2010-2014 Five-Year Program, which includes the elimination of 257 road and bridge projects statewide. In addition, 38 counties in Michigan have pulverized more than 100 miles of pavement back to gravel because they don’t have the money needed for repairs.
Michigan’s historic disinvestment in the state’s transportation system and inability to increase state investment would cause Michigan’s pavement conditions to drop dramatically from 90 percent “good” on the state trunkline system in 2010, to a low 50 percent by 2020.
“Investment in better, safer roads is not only important to drivers, but vital to making Michigan more business-friendly, it will spur economic growth and help create thousands of good-paying jobs.” Nystrom said.
Michigan residents can voice their concerns about road funding by calling a toll-free number – 888-719-3087 – set up by MTT. Callers simply enter their five-digit ZIP code to be connected with their legislative offices.
MTT is a broad-based, bi-partisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens linked with the common goal of improving Michigan’s transportation infrastructure. The DriveMI campaign is committed to promoting the development and maintenance of a safe, convenient and efficient transportation network that serves the public, private and economic development needs of Michigan. For more information visit www.drivemi.org.
Link to Overdrive Road poll: The good, the bad, the better: http://www.overdriveonline.com/the-good-the–bad-the-better /
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Contact: Mike Nystrom, Executive Vice President, MITA Office: (517) 347-8336 Cell: (517) 896-1493
