The County Road Association of Michigan has called any road funding solution that does not provide additional dollars for local roads a woefully incomplete answer to the situation with Michigan roads.
“While not in a position to evaluate what is widely expected to be $3-plus billion in bonds for state trunkline projects – which comprise a mere 8% of Michigan’s road network – this actionable proposal from the Governor entirely leaves out the local and primary road network,” said Denise Donohue, director of the County Road Association of Michigan, whose members are the 83 county road commissions and departments across the state.
“Last May we provided data to the Governor, House and Senate indicating that our local road network is currently 45% good/fair condition on the primary system (federal aid roads) and only 36% good/fair on the local road system. With counties responsible for 75% of Michigan road miles and 52% of the bridges, a bonding proposal with no local dollars will lead to further decline,” Donohue said.
“In order for counties to restore primary roads to the same goals that MDOT has (90% good/fair) and the local roads to 60% good/fair additional dollars will be required,” Donohue said.
CRA and its member agencies called upon the Governor and the Legislature to find an immediate solution that will benefit all types of roads and bridges in the state.
“We support Act 51 distribution, which is sustainable, Constitutionally-protected and fair,” said Ed Noyola, CRA deputy director, with 40 years’ experience in state and local road management. “While we all have had bumpy drives on the freeway, and those certainly need repair, every Michigan resident’s daily travels begin and end in their driveway.”
The 83 members of the County Road Association of Michigan represent the unified voice for a safe and efficient county transportation infrastructure system in Michigan, including appropriate stewardship of the public’s right-of-way in rural and urban Michigan. Collectively, Michigan’s county road agencies manage 75 percent of all roads in the state, including 90,000 miles of roads and 5,700 bridges. County road agencies also maintain the state’s highway system in 64 counties. Michigan has the nation’s fourth-largest local road system.