Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) proposed what she calls a comprehensive, sustainable, long-term plan to “fix the damn roads” for generations to come, echoing a phrase she has often used since taking office in 2019.
The $3 billion plan includes funds to help local communities fix local roads, boost transit, improve safety on the roads and reduce the cost of vehicle repairs for Michigan drivers. “It is fiscally responsible, balanced and sustainable, including new cuts and revenue streams to fix the damn roads the right way,” Whitmer said.
With the help of the Rebuilding Michigan plan, Gov. Whitmer has fixed more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges, supporting tens of thousands of good-paying jobs without raising taxes on drivers.
According to the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council, more of Michigan’s roads are now in good or fair condition. However, Michiganders are still paying more than $750 a year for car repairs and Michigan’s local communities still need a long-term solution to continue “fixing the damn roads” and ensure Michiganders and companies can depend on reliable infrastructure across our state.
“Since day one, I’ve been focused on fixing the damn roads, and while I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, there’s still a lot more to do,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Today, I’m excited to introduce my brand-new plan that provides a long-term, sustainable solution to fix our roads so we can help more Michiganders stay safe on the road, save money, and get where they’re going faster. My plan is fiscally responsible and balanced, with both new revenue and cuts so we can lower costs for families.”
“We rely on Michigan’s roads to live our lives – to get to work on time, get our kids to school safely, and help our businesses thrive. That is why we’ve been working since day one to fix our roads and bridges, save drivers money, and improve Michigan’s infrastructure,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “The Mi Road Ahead Plan is a fiscally responsible, balanced plan that will help us build on this work, grow access to public transit, and help local communities across Michigan fix roads. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation with Michiganders from across the state about how we fix our roads and get it done.”
Data shows a majority of Michiganders think roads should get more funding and they are ready for a commonsense long-term funding plan. In her Road Ahead Address, Gov. Whitmer made it clear that she will work with anyone to find a solution to road funding, calling on the Michigan legislature to set aside their differences, embrace compromise, and negotiate a bipartisan roads deal in 2025.
Specifically, she highlighted the importance of finding new and fair sources of revenue as well as exploring fiscally responsible cuts, ensuring Michigan can keep repairing and rebuilding our roads.
Gov. Whitmer is proposing a $3 billion plan that is not funded on the backs of commuters; reflects Michigan’s 21st century transportation infrastructure needs; and ensures local governments still get the resources they need through Constitutional Revenue Sharing, with the plan holding the School Aid Fund harmless.
The governor knows that repairing local roads is a top priority, which is why this plan explicitly allocates more than $1 billion in new, ongoing investments for local communities to fix your neighborhood roads, lower the cost of car repairs, and keep your family safe.
“I’m very pleased that the governor has put forward a comprehensive solution to funding Michigan’s roads,” said MDOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich. “The governor’s Rebuilding Michigan plan has made record-setting progress shoring up our state’s busiest roads and bridges, and this plan will allow MDOT and local agencies to sustain that momentum.”
Key elements of Gov. Whitmer’s plan include new revenue and cuts to ensure on-going, dedicated roads and transit funding:
- Ensure every dollar at the pump will fix roads.
- Require corporations to pay their fair share.
- Cutting red tape and finding efficiencies and savings.
- Close marijuana tax loophole.
- Boost and build transit across Michigan.
Michigan Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R) released an updated plan to fund roads with more than $3.1 billion in annual revenue without raising taxes. Speaker Hall began the discussion on fixing Michigan roads by proposing a $2.7 billion plan in November. With strong tax revenues and additional time to investigate current funding, Hall’s plan is now a stronger and more detailed $3.145 billion plan that still focuses primarily on local roads.
Hall’s plan in November permanently dedicated $1.7 billion in funding from the Corporate Income Tax (CIT). After significant review, that total is now up to $2.2 billion, and specific line items have now been identified, leading to a more detailed and more robust plan for the roads.is not impacted by this shift will come from permanently dedicating sales tax revenue.
The plan focuses more funding onto local roads that have “been neglected for far too long.” The plan includes zero new taxes and no new bonds that increase the taxpayers’ long-term debt.
“I’m grateful to Speaker Hall for sharing this priority, and I look forward to working with him and both parties in the legislature to get this done,” Gov. Whitmer stated.