LANSING, Mich. – Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association (MITA), issued the following statement following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, acknowledging we still have a long way to go to fix our roads:
“Gov. Whitmer has been an advocate for fixing Michigan’s roads, and she reminded us of that tonight with her State of the State address. We appreciate all she has done over the past four years to help fix Michigan’s roads, but we still have a long way to go.
“We still have a great need to fix the many thousands of lane miles of Michigan roads that remain in poor condition. The governor has already begun some of that work, but an equitable, long-term, sustainable infrastructure investment plan is needed if we are ever going to fully catch up. As vehicles modernize and electric vehicles become more popular, it’s time we rethink the way we pay for our roads, as the 20th century funding model is not able to keep our roads in good or safe condition.
“We look forward to working with Michigan’s leaders over the coming year on modernizing our infrastructure network and finding solutions to finally fix our roads for the long-term, so future generations of Michigan residents can travel safely and efficiently around the state. Michigan’s construction workers stand ready across the state to get to work to fix our roads and bring our infrastructure into the 21st century. It’s time for Michigan’s leaders to finally come together so we can develop an equitable, long-term, sustainable infrastructure plan that fixes Michigan’s roads for generations to come.”
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The Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association is a statewide trade association that represents a broad spectrum of heavy construction companies and suppliers that help build a better Michigan from the ground up. For more information, visit thinkmita.org.
