Fixing the Roads: A Blueprint for Michigan Transportation Infrastructure Policy

This comprehensive study is the only one available that documents Michigan's road needs, illuminates the diversion of hundreds of millions of Michigan road dollars to nonroad and non-Michigan use, demonstrates how Michigan can save over $170 million annually, and shows that a gas tax increase is not needed if funding diversions are stopped and modest savings measures are enacted. Several of its recommendations have been implemented. 40 pages.

Contents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Michigan's Transportation Infrastructure System
  • Control of the Michigan System
  • Michigan Transportation Funding
    • Figure 1
    • Figure 2
    • Figure 3
  • Disposition of State Transportation Revenues
    • Figure 4
  • Local Government Revenue Sources and Spending
    • Figure 5
  • Michigan Revenue Sources
    • Fuel Taxes
      • Table 1
    • Registration Fees
    • Total Revenue Impacts
      • Table 2
• The Trucking Industry, Truck Taxes, and Costs
  • Truck Taxes and Revenue
  • Truck Cost Studies
  • Michigan's Extra Heavy Trucks
  • Figure 6
• Highway Infrastructure Needs
  • Claimed State and Local Investment Needs
    • Figure 7
    • Table 3
    • Table 4
  • Needs Justification Analysis
    • Figure 8
  • Conclusions on Need
• Diversions of Funds
  • Federal Diversion Issues
    • Table 5
  • State Diversion Issues
• The Cost of Highway Consctruction Projects
  • State Issues Affecting Costs
    • State Organizational, Collection and Administrative Issues
    • Duplication of State, County and City Roadbuilding and Maintenance Organizations
    • Privatization
    • Re-Inventing the Highway Roadbuilding and Maintenance System
    • Land Acquisition Costs
    • Roadway Type, Design Standards and Value Engineering
    • Prevailing Wage Law
    • Tort Reform
    • Selling Railroad Tracks
    • State Environmental Regulations
  • Federal Issues Affecting Costs
    • Environmental Justice
    • ISTEA
    • Coastal-Zone Reauthorization
    • Federal Davis-Bacon Act Reforms
• Net Investment Needs and Financing Options
  • State and Local System Needs
    • Table 6
  • Funding Options
    • General Fund Appropriation
    • Public Bonding and Tolls
    • Private Roads and Tolls
    • Developer Fees
    • Truck Registration and Fuel Taxes
    • Auto Registration and Fuel Taxes
• A Funding Approach for Those who Believe The Benefits Outweigh The Costs
  • The State Administered System
    • Table 7
  • The Locally-Administered System
  • Total Taxes
• Conclusions
• Endnotes