Roads Cost State $7.7B Annually According to Study

A study from the national research organization TRIP released this week states Michigan’s dilapidated roads cost its residents $7.7 billion annually in additional operating costs due to lost time and wasted fuel from congestion and crashes. The study put the annual cost per driver at $1,600 in metro Detroit, $1,027 in the Grand Rapids area, and $1,032 for those in the greater Lansing region.

Further, the study said 57 percent of major urban roads in the Detroit area are in poor or mediocre condition with 40 percent in the Grand Rapids region and 49 percent in the Lansing area falling into the same category. TRIP also reported that 27% of Michigan’s bridges are in need of repair, improvement, or replacement.

In an effort to address the issue, Governor Rick Snyder has urged the Legislature for more than two years to pass legislation to raise $1.2 billion in new funds for roads, but lawmakers have hesitated to move forward with additional funding.

Will Wilkins, Executive Director of TRIP stated in the report, “Addressing Michigan’s needs for a safe, efficient and well-maintained transportation system will require a significant investment boost at the federal and state levels.” He continued, “But not addressing the state’s need for an improved transportation system will result in even greater costs to the public.”

posted by PAA Online , Friday, January 24, 2014 10:59 AM
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