MICHIGAN, USA — A recent report estimates that the poor road conditions in Michigan cost the average state household $4,845 annually.
The report was conducted by the national transportation research nonprofit organization, TRIP.
The report says the costs are incurred in the form of traffic crashes, delays caused by traffic congestion and unreliability on the state’s transportation network, extra vehicle operating costs due to driving on roads in poor condition, and in the cost to repair the state’s structurally deficient bridges.
The objective of the study and report was to determine what the cost to Michiganders would be moving forward based on different road repair funding scenarios.
In November of 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The act provided Michigan with $9 billion in funding for highway and bridge improvement from 2022 to 2026.
The study by TRIP offers up three scenarios for funding of infrastructure improvements between 2021 and 2031 and predicts the percentage of roads in poor, fair and good conditions. They also project the estimated costs per household for transportation investments in 2031.
- Scenario A - It assumes anticipated expenditures based on current funding formulas, regardless of whether they are adequate to maintain or improve conditions and performance into the future.
- Scenario B - It assumes that adequate funding is made available to maintain current conditions and performance into the future.
- Scenario C - It assumes a level of funding is made available that would provide a significant improvement in near-term conditions and performance and a significant improvement in future conditions and performance.
2021 Pavement Conditions in Michigan
Poor condition - 24%
Fair condition - 43%
Good condition - 34%
2031 Projected Pavement Conditions in Michigan
Poor condition
- Scenario A - 49%
- Scenario B - 23%
- Scenario C - 9%
Fair condition
- Scenario A - 20%
- Scenario B - 37%
- Scenario C - 33%
Good condition
- Scenario A - 31%
- Scenario B - 41%
- Scenario C - 58%
Annual Michigan Household Costs of Transportation Investment
Current Condition 2021
- Vehicle operation costs - $1,093
- Safety costs - $1,084
- Bridge repair costs - $1,286
- Traffic congestion costs - $1,382
Total cost: $4,845
Scenario A 2031
- Vehicle operation costs - $1,586
- Safety costs - $1,113
- Bridge repair costs - $2,054
- Traffic congestion costs - $1,520
Total cost: $6,273
Scenario B 2031
- Vehicle operation costs - $1,019
- Safety costs - $1,113
- Bridge repair costs - $1,180
- Traffic congestion costs - $1,382
Total cost: $4,694
Scenario C 2031
- Vehicle operation costs - $583
- Safety costs - $750
- Bridge repair costs - $40
- Traffic congestion costs - $1,106
Total cost: $2,479
The report concludes that the level of investment to transportation projects over the next decade will have a huge impact on the overall economy and Michigander's wallets.
TRIP says that, "Michigan’s roads, highways and bridges are the backbone of the state’s transportation system and their good condition and performance are critical to the quality of life and the health of Michigan’s economy."
You can view the entire report by TRIP here:
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