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Gov. Whitmer introduces ‘Mi Road Ahead' plan to fix roads

Gov. Whitmer introduces ‘Mi Road Ahead' plan to fix roads

Yahoo10-02-2025

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a 'comprehensive and long-term plan' to fix roads across Michigan.
The reports that the $3 billion plan, introduced Monday, includes money to help communities fix roads, boost transit, improve road safety and reduce the cost of vehicle repairs for Michigan drivers.
The State says with the help of the Rebuilding Michigan plan, more than 23,000 miles of roads and 1,600 bridges have been fixed since Jan. 2020.
According to the (TAMC), more of Michigan's roads are now in good or fair condition compared to reports from 2020.
'Today, I'm excited to introduce my brand-new plan that provides a long-term, sustainable solution to fix our roads so we can help more Michiganders stay safe on the road, save money, and get where they're going faster,' said Gov. Whitmer in a news release sent to 6 News.
The plan will allocate more than $1 billion in new, ongoing investments for communities to fix neighborhood roads.
'We rely on Michigan's roads to live our lives—to get to work on time, get our kids to school safely, and help our businesses thrive. That is why we've been working since day one to fix our roads and bridges, save drivers money, and improve Michigan's infrastructure,' said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II in a news release sent to 6 News.
Key elements of 'Mi Road Ahead' according to the State:
Ensure every dollar at the pump will fix roads: Michigan drivers pay a federal and state gas tax plus a 6% state sales tax on each gallon of gas. 25% of those funds are currently being diverted from fixing roads. The new plan will, 'close the gap by ensuring that every penny drivers pay at the pump goes toward Michigan infrastructure.' This will reportedly add $1.2 billion toward roads, bridges and transit infrastructure.
Require corporations pay their fair share: The plan will ask massive corporations and Big Tech industries, such as Amazon, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and TikTok to pay, 'their fair share,' to do business in Michigan and to use the roadways. The State says that 'laws have not been updated to account for Big Tech industries that profit tremendously from using Michigan's infrastructure.' This will reportedly raise $1.7 billion in additional revenue to fix the roads without putting the cost on Michiganders.
Cutting red tape and finding efficiencies and savings: The plan will include, 'fiscally responsible cuts as part of a long-term solution to fix the damn roads.' The plan will cut costs, adding up to $500 million for additional road and bridge repair funding.
Close marijuana loophole: The plan will close a loophole that exempted the marijuana industry from wholesale tax, which is applied to similar smoking products, like cigarettes and other tobacco items.
Boost and Build Transit Across Michigan: The plan will allocate $250 million to invest in local bus service and build new transit projects across the state.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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