Michigan legislators can save an estimated 174 lives per year simply by increasing funding to make sure roadways throughout the state are safe.

As part of the national Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day this Saturday, the Michigan Transportation Team (MTT) is reminding lawmakers that studies show increased investment in road and bridge improvements saves lives.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) found that every $100 million spent on highway safety improvements results in 145 fewer traffic fatalities over a 10-year period. Making road lanes and shoulders wider, adding medians and repairing bridges are just a few of the improvements that cut fatalities significantly.

Those improvements would be funded in Michigan if legislators would adopt the bipartisan Transportation Funding Task Force’s (TF2) recommendation to increase transportation investment by $3.5 billion annually.

“When legislators invest in our roads, they are saving lives,” said Mike Nystrom, vice president of government and public relations for the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team (MTT). “Michigan is in a situation where state and local road agencies are delaying critical safety projects and services because they don’t have enough funding.”

With no shortage of road and bridge problems, reductions in transportation funding levels have delayed or cancelled safety improvement projects across the state. The ever-increasing shortfall of funds, an estimated $3 billion annually, has left MDOT and local road commissions with no choice but to reduce critical safety services.

“Over the summer state and local road agencies reduced mowing and brush removal, a vital safety tool to ensure motorists have proper visibility, as a way to cut costs,” said Nystrom. “This winter many local road commissions are drastically reducing winter maintenance services, plowing less and only salting intersections, hills and curves.”

The Michigan 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 in transportation revenue per year, $1.7 billion short of the TF2 recommendations, but a significant step in the right direction to fix Michigan’s transportation funding crisis.

“Legislators must act now to solve our transportation funding crisis,” Nystrom said. “Their inability and inaction to secure increased transportation funding is putting Michigan motorists at risk.”

Michigan residents can voice their concerns about road funding by calling a toll-free number, 888-719-308, set up by MTT. Callers simply enter their five digit zip code to be connected with their legislator, at no cost to them.

MTT is a broad-based, bipartisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens linked 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.