LANSING, Mich. — It's officially pothole season in Michigan and the state's governor signed a directive aimed at speeding up pothole repairs on state highways.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking the Michigan Department of Transportation to use all available resources like overtime and hiring contractors to expedite the repairs.
“Dealing with car damage from driving over potholes while on your way to work or school is frustrating for every Michigander. No family should have to spend their hard-earned money on repairing a flat tire or a broken axle caused by these potholes,” Gov. Whitmer said.
“That’s why I’m directing the state transportation department to speed up pothole repairs. We’re kicking this into overdrive, using overtime pay and contractors to get the job done, while we continue broader improvement projects across the state. I will continue to work with anyone to fix the damn roads, make long-lasting investments in our infrastructure, and put Michigan first.”
The executive directive directs MDOT to prioritize activities related to fixing Michigan’s seasonal potholes, including:
- Use all available resources to expedite repair of road surfaces, including overtime pay and contracted services where appropriate.
- Assess conditions on state trunkline highways to identify and prioritize areas for repair.
- Ensure that the public can easily communicate the location of potholes or other issues with road surfaces on state trunkline highways and assess and respond to these reports.
- Ensure timely disbursements of Michigan Transportation Fund dollars to local road agencies to ensure that local authorities have the resources they need to repair potholes and other road surface deterioration. Funding to fix local, non-state roads are appropriated by the Michigan Legislature.
- Continue broader road improvement projects, including those that are part of the Rebuilding Michigan Plan, to prevent potholes and other road surface issues from developing in the first place.
You can read a copy of the directive here.
This directive is part of The Rebuilding Michigan Plan, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment in state highways and bridges.
The Michigan Legislature can appropriate funds to fix local roads, as local roads are out of the administration’s jurisdiction.
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