The Conference Committee on Transportation voted out a budget today that included an additional $350 million dollars. Those dollars will be split two ways, $121 million going to the Federal Aid Match Requirement and the remaining funds into a new Priority Roads Investment Program. This increased funding is a direct result of the budget surplus.

The Priority Roads Investment Program will have $115 million available to spend this year with the remaining carrying over to the following year. The legislature will be responsible for appropriating the money to specific projects around the state.

With no deal on new transportation funding the budget did not include the recommended $1.2 billion Governor Snyder requested. The Governor is still committed to to solving the need for greater investment in transportation and will be working with the legislation over the next few weeks, and likely the coming months, to come to an agreement on increase funding for transportation.

John LaMacchia is a Legislative Associate with the League handling transportation issues. He can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0303.