New report: Michigan’s roads rank 40th in U.S. Experts: scrap road-funding formula and start over

Vic McCarty of the Vic McCarty Morning Show, WTCM Traverse City, interviews Eric Lupher, president of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, which last week released novel research making the case that much more work is needed on the road funding issue than just securing more resources for roads and bridges.

In a Nutshell:

Michigan ranks 30th among all 50 states in road and 40th in road system conditions.

Michigan’s road program performance has declined between 2004 and 2024.

Policy discussions regarding road funding review the efficacy of Michigan’s approach to pavement management and to prioritize the repeal and replacement of Public Act 51 of 1951.

Eric makes the case that Michigan’s residents and taxpayers deserve a thorough evaluation of transportation funding policy, without questioning that more road funding is probably needed, before being subjected to substantial tax increases or redirecting general fund revenue from other critical Michigan programs. “There are multiple inefficiencies in our current system. Allocating more funding to roads without addressing these inefficiencies may reinforce systemic problems without making much progress in fixing the roads.”