Mich. Road Group Pushes For More Repair Money
A group that wants Michigan to spend more money on road repairs is taking a new approach to lobbying lawmakers.
The Michigan Transportation Team sent state lawmakers and those running for office in November maps of their own districts highlighting major roads that are in poor condition.
The group said Wednesday that inaction by lawmakers over the past two years will make the roads more than $1 billion more expensive to repair than they would have been otherwise.
The roads coalition includes business groups, road builders, transportation agencies and motorists.
WWJ spoke with Mike Nystrom of the Michigan Transportation Team, who said his group has sent maps to each lawmaker to show them which roads in their district need repairs.
Nystrom said to pay for the program -- they propose a 3 cent hike in the gasoline tax.
"We continue to suggest that a phased in approach, small incremental increases over time will still add up to income that help the state improve its transportation network," Nystrom said.
Nystrom claims inaction will make roads more than a billion dollars more expensive when they are finally d
Proposals to raise more money for roads have stalled in the Michigan Legislature, largely because lawmakers doubt residents would support higher taxes.
(Copyright 2010 by WWJ Radio. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report)
