“The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission issued a report yesterday which highlights the dramatic transportation infrastructure needs across the U.S. The report discusses the numerous transportation challenges our country faces and makes recommendations for the reauthorization of the transportation surface program. One of the primary suggestions of the federal report calls for a gas tax increase from 25-40 cents per gallon over the next five years, with indexing thereafter.

MITA agrees with many of the findings of the report including the call for a greater investment by the federal government. However, we caution that Michigan is not positioned to benefit from these dollars under our current state investment strategy because we will not have the resources to match the suggested federal dollars.

The report also included a comprehensive analysis of alternatives to the gas tax, similar to an effort now beginning in Michigan resulting from the December passage of Senate Bill 59. Despite the thorough analysis of many different types of funding alternatives from across the country, the commission concluded that a per gallon gas tax has, and should continue to be, the primary source of federal transportation funding across the nation.

The State of Michigan cannot wait on the federal government to save our own infrastructure – our state policymakers must act now to fix our crumbling roads and bridges. Michigan legislators need to wake up and realize that relying on the federal government is not an option. We must work together as a state to provide the funding necessary to keep our roads and infrastructure safe.”