At the September State Transportation Commission meeting, MDOT leadership announced they would invest $1.8 billion in their FY 2016 Transportation Program. The focus of the FY 2016 multimodal capital investments will be infrastructure preservation and safety, with $97 million invested in the Aviation Program, $393 million in the Bus, Marine, Port, and Rail Programs, and $1.33 billion in the Highway Program. The total FY 2016 program investment represents a modest increase from the $1.62 billion MDOT invested in FY 2015.
The FY 2016 Transportation Program investments will support Michigan’s continued economic growth and sustain an estimated 21,000 jobs.
In breaking down the $1.33 billion Highway Program investment plan, MDOT is currently projecting that approximately $698 million in road and bridge projects will be let in FY 2016. MDOT has allocated $310.7 million to fund routine maintenance (snowplowing, mowing, etc.) performed by the Department, with the balance of the investment going to fund preliminary engineering (project scoping/design), construction engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and other miscellaneous programs.
Consistent with the direction established by the State Transportation Commission, MDOT’s FY 2016 investment strategy will focus approximately 98% of the Highway Program funds on the preservation, maintenance, safety, and operations of the existing trunkline assets.
The FY 2016 Highway Program does include $145 million for trunkline modernization that will continue MDOT’s freeway modernization focus on the I-94 corridor in Detroit and the I-75 corridor in Oakland County.
MDOT leadership indicated there would be no shortfall of state funds for meeting the federal match requirements, due to the redirection of $113 million from the general fund to the State Trunkline Fund. In total, $400 million will be redirected from the general fund to MDOT’s FY 2016 Transportation Program.
Although they are subject to change, MDOT has provided the following documents pertinent to the FY 2016 Highway Program:
2016 Significant Projects List
2016 HMA, Concrete & Bridge Summary
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Glenn Bukoski at glennbukoski@mi-ita.com or by phone at (517) 347-8336.
2015 numbers have shown that Michigan now needs over $2 billion a year to maintain our current infrastructure system. Every day, roads and bridges continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate, causing accidents and expensive car repairs, while also decreasing the efficiency of the transportation of goods and services to boost our economy. There has never been a more critical time to get involved in the efforts to secure increased funding. Please continue to meet with your elected officials on a regular basis, and help us educate them on why the need for increased investment is so great, so timely and so important for Michigan’s future.
