Click on the attached PDF at the end of this press release to view a list of the project delays, the five-year plan, and statewide press releases.


The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has been forced to delay 243 road and bridge projects due to continued declines in state gas tax revenues and now the state’s inability to match federal dollars. This is in addition to the 137 road and bridge projects MDOT delayed in the spring.

MDOT’s new updated draft 2010-2014 Five-Year Transportation Program (attached) lists the statewide projects that have been delayed, including road preservation projects, bridge preservation projects and new roads and capacity improvement projects, because of an estimated $800 million cut, a nearly 60 percent decline.

The report shows that due to the reductions for the 2011-2014 time period, road conditions are expected to decline from 91 percent “good” in 2008 to just 25 percent “good” in 2020.

“Michigan’s transportation funding system is in a state of crisis," said Mike Nystrom, vice president of government and public relations for the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), and co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team (MTT). “These postponed projects represent critical improvements that impact every community across Michigan. Our legislators’ failure to invest in our transportation system is forcing the state to neglect our roadways and will ultimately lead them to fall into deplorable conditions and increase the cost of repairs.”

In the plan, 243 projects, 128 bridge replacements and rehabilitations, 105 road rehabilitations and reconstructions, eight new roads and two capacity improvements, have been delayed (a full list is attached).

“Public safety and the recovery of our state economy should be a top priority for
lawmakers,” said Nystrom. “Clearly legislators can no longer ignore Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure and allow the state to forgo nearly 300 construction projects that will provide safer roadways and thousands of jobs to Michigan residents.”

As Michigan faces an estimated $3 billion annual shortfall of funds (based on local road agencies and state agencies’ inability to match federal aid), The legislature is exploring bills that would increase road funding over the next five years. The plan is expected to yield an additional $1.8 billion annually in transportation revenue.

MDOT is in the process of seeking public comment on its draft 2010-2014 Five-Year Transportation Program. Comments should be e-mailed to MDOT-Five-Year-Program@michigan.gov. The draft 2010-2014 Five-Year Transportation Program is available on the MDOT Web site at: www.michigan.gov/mdot5yearplan.

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, at no cost to them, with their legislators’ offices.

MTT is a broad-based, bipartisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens 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. Please visit www.drivemi.org for more information on transportation funding or follow them on twitter@drivemi or YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/FixMIRoads.