Fifteen hours before construction projects would be idled, policymakers came to an agreement on the state’s transportation budget in the face of tonight’s midnight end of the fiscal year.
A MITA press release last week announced a possible government shutdown and estimated that it would cost state taxpayers $1 million. Disagreements over the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) delayed the budget for months as two sides sparred over whether to allow MDOT to continue with the project.
According to the budget compromise, the state can continue to develop plans for DRIC and put out Request for Proposals. In exchange, the department will complete an investment-grade traffic study at the border and will seek to get legislative approval of a new international crossing by June 1, 2010.
The $3.2 billion transportation budget is a $1.2 billion reduction from last year—most of those dollars were one-time stimulus payments last year. Details of the MDOT construction program estimates for 2010 will be published by MITA later this week.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Mike Nystrom at mikenystrom@mi-ita.com or Keith Ledbetter at keithledbetter@mi-ita.com or call the MITA office at 517-347-8336.
