Dear Friend,

Last month, I sent out a survey asking constituents across Michigan their opinion on our roads.

The results are clear—Michiganders want the Legislature to pass a bipartisan roads plan to fix state and local roads as soon as possible.

We’ve fixed a lot of Michigan's major roads since I took office, but our work is not over. Without a new roads plan, we cannot continue fixing the damn roads. In the survey, Michiganders told us that they’ve noticed the progress we’ve made on our roads, but they also shared hundreds of stories about how poor road conditions still cost them time and money and how much safer they would feel if we fixed more roads.

Nearly 90% of the Michiganders we surveyed said it is “important” or “very important” that the Michigan Legislature acts this year to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan roads plan. It’s simple: people want safe, reliable roads so they can go to work, drop their kids off at school, and run errands without blowing a tire or cracking an axle.

Let’s work together on a bipartisan roads plan to fix state and local roads, protect thousands of good-paying jobs, and make a real difference in people’s lives.

See more about the survey results below.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor

Roads Survey Summary

Those surveyed said that Michigan’s roads today are better than they were five years ago and note that recent improvements in their area have made it easier and safer for them to get around, but they are concerned about legislative inaction on a roads deal. There were hundreds of stories about how adverse road conditions impact daily life, car repairs, and safety. Respondents also voiced strong support for ensuring that every penny drivers pay at the pump goes towards roads.

• Are Michigan’s roads in better or worse condition than they were 5 years ago?
  • 57% Better
  • 25% Worse
  • 18% Unsure

• Have recently completed road improvements in your area made it easier or safer to get around?
  • 64% Yes
  • 36% No

• How important is it to you that the Michigan Legislature acts this year to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan roads plan so we fix Michigan’s state and local roads and bridges?
  • 72% Very Important
  • 17% Somewhat Important
  • 3% Not Important at All

• How have poor road conditions affected you or your family’s daily life, care repairs and expenses, or safety?
  • Direct quotes summarizing stories shared: “longer commutes because of poor roads,” “every day activities more difficult and dangerous,” “people veering to miss potholes,” “never ending repairs,” “go out of my way to avoid certain roads.”

• If the Michigan Legislature does not pass a long-term roads plan, how concerned are you that your community’s roads and bridges will fall into disrepair?
  • 64% Very Concerned
  • 23% Somewhat Concerned

• Why does rebuilding local roads matter to you and your community? What impact would better roads have?
  • Direct quotes summarizing stories shared: “fewer flat tires,” “less traffic,” “more pride in our state,” “safety is the number one concern!” “helps ensure businesses can move their products to market,” “ease of getting around.”

• Right now, not all of the revenue collected by the sales tax on gas you pay at the pump goes towards fixing our roads. Governor Whitmer wants every penny drivers pay at the pump to go towards the roads. Do you agree that 100% of the sales tax on gas you pay at the pump should be used to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges?
  • 81% Yes, I agree
  • 13% Unsure
  • 6% No, I disagree

• How much do you think poor road conditions increase your family’s annual costs for things like vehicle repairs, maintenance, and fuel?
  • 35% More than $500/year
  • 29% $250-$500/year
  • 20% $100-$250/year

Fixing the Damn Roads in Michigan

By the end of this year’s construction season, Michigan will have repaired more than 24,500 lane miles of road and 1,900 bridges since I took office. Over the past six years, I’ve worked with the Legislature to deliver six balanced, bipartisan budgets that invested over $24 billion in fixing Michigan’s roads and bridges, more than the previous eight years combined. These investments are creating thousands of high-wage jobs, especially in the construction industry.

However, as the Rebuilding Michigan plan and federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act near expiration, Michigan is approaching a devastating funding cliff for both state-managed and local roads. Without a long-term, bipartisan road funding solution, thousands of good-paying jobs will be at risk. Critical projects will be delayed or canceled, creating more dangerous conditions for drivers, further straining our infrastructure, and jacking up the cost of future projects.

I am committed to working with anyone to fix the damn roads with the right mix and materials, so they are built to last. Recently, I sent a letter to the directors of the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity calling on them to compile and publicly release data on the impact of the state’s road funding cliff and federal funding rollbacks on Michigan’s unemployment. I will keep working with my legislative partners to reach a long-term deal.

We must build on our momentum and pass a long-term, bipartisan road funding plan—so we can keep fixing our state highways and ramp up our efforts to rebuild the local roads that Michiganders drive on every day.

Let’s get it done.

Make Your Voice Heard

I urge Republicans and Democrats to work together to come up with a roads plan to keep fixing our roads. Both parties will have to compromise to get this done right, and that’s the way it ought to be.

To get in touch with your representatives in Lansing, make your voice heard, and stay up to date on legislative activity, please check out the links below.