Today the Senate passed SB 529 by a vote of 23-12. The bill would appropriate currently available one-time resources to local roads and bridges.
- $1.3B for local bridge rehabilitation and replacement
- $200M for local roads ($70 specifically for cities and villages)
- $126M for rail grade separation
The League issued the following statement in response to the Senate approving $1.5 billion in fnding to address the tremendous need for local bridge and road repair and replacement across the state. This statement can be attributed to Dan Gilmartin, the League’s CEO and Executive Director.
“The scale of resources needed to repair and replace Michigan’s bridges far exceeds the financial ability of Michigan’s local road agencies. That is why the League applauds the Senate’s recognition of this need and their willingness to take action to invest $1.3 billion in local bridges and $200 million for local road agencies to offset transportation revenue lost because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All levels of leadership in Lansing have prioritized the need to invest in this critical part of our community’s infrastructure used by every Michigander and visitor. The Senate’s $1.5 billion proposal recognized the scale of the problem. We estimate this investment is enough to address all our local bridges in critical condition.”
Gilmartin added, “This is a strong start to the kind of bold investment our communities need. We look forward to partnering on similar strategic proposals for water infrastructure, housing, community and economic development, and public health and safety in a comprehensive and coordinated way to amplify our prosperity now and into the future. The Senate’s action today represents a key first step in catalyzing the impact of available resources. We encourage the Legislature and the governor to continue to work together to fully realize Michigan’s enormous capacity to ensure the health and wealth of its people.”
We will be tracking this legislation closely and anticipate it will become part of a broader negotiation on the how the state will invest one-time funding it has available. We will continue to provide updates on this legislation and other related budget bill as we move forward.
John LaMacchia is the Assistant Director of State and Federal Affairs for the League handling transportation, infrastructure, energy and environment issues. He can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0303.