Berkley City Councilman Calls for Increased Transportation Funding in Michigan

Dear Editor,

In the interest of public safety and jobs, now is the time for Michigan to invest in our crumbling roads and bridges and to create a real system of public transportation alternatives to driving. Michigan’s roads are consistently ranked among the nation’s worst with 32 percent currently ranked as being in poor condition. By 2018, this number is expected to jump to more than 65 percent.

Michigan is losing $3 million a day and more than $1 billion a year due to maintenance costs and increased wear and tear on our roads and bridges. One-third of all fatal and serious traffic crashes in Michigan can be linked, in part, to poor road conditions.

Investing $10 billion over the next 10 years to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges would create 12,000 jobs and prevent 100 crash-related deaths per year.

The Michigan Legislature has the opportunity to improve public safety and create thousands of good jobs by supporting Gov. Rick Snyder’s transportation infrastructure plan. Please ask our state elected officials to focus on increased funding for all forms of transportation and to support the sharing of revenue that local governments receive to help build communities where people want to live. Learn more at www.justfixtheroads.com.

Steve Baker
Councilmember, City of Berkley
Trustee, Michigan Municipal League Board