Emily Lawler | MLive.com
The patchwork of infrastructure that transports us, connects us, brings us the utilities we use every day and supports the way we live is deteriorating, both above and below ground.
The latest numbers from the Transportation Asset Management Council show 40 percent of Michigan's roads are in poor condition, and 11 percent of bridges are deemed structurally deficient. That's far higher than the national average.
Several attempts to clear up additional funding for road infrastructure at the state level fell through before lawmakers came up with a plan in 2015. But even with that additional cash flow, Michigan Department of Transportation director Kirk Steudle says the money currently available can only "slow the rate of decline" for Michigan's roadways.
Michigan residents have already seen what can happen if pipes aren't properly cared for or managed. The Flint water crisis brought international attention to aging lead pipes and has many concerned a Flint-like scenario could happen again. But pipes leaching toxins into water aren't the only thing to be worried about underneath the surface - water main breaks led to a massive sinkhole in 2016 in Macomb County and a days-long service disruption in Oakland County last year.
And for some of the state's rural residents, access to options for fast and reliable internet is still out of reach.
Everyone in Michigan has a story about the worst pothole they've ever driven over. But poor conditions on our roads and bridges can be worse than a trip to a local car repair shop - it can cause accidents, injury or death.
It's clear there's a problem, but it's one that's tough to fix. As bleak as all that sounds, there are ways the situation can be improved.
The FirstMerit and Eddy Place buildings are reflected in a pothole on E Genesee on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 in downtown Saginaw. (File photo by Katy Kildee | MLive.com)
Commit to existing state road funding plan
Beyond any additional funding that could come up in the future, the state Legislature laid out plans in 2015 to commit up to $1.2 billion in additional infrastructure funding by 2021.
Back then, lawmakers and state officials said it was a "great first step" towards ramping up funding for infrastructure improvements.
Part of that funding plan relies on commitments from the state's general fund budget each year during the appropriations process starting in Fiscal Year 2019.
This year, House and Senate leadership have promised additional funding towards infrastructure in the next fiscal year budget, bringing the total this year to more than a billion dollars. Some of that additional cash came from an estimated revenue surplus.
After the 2018 elections, though, Michigan will have a new governor and significant turnover in the state Legislature, and there's another election in 2020 to consider.
In the absence of additional work on infrastructure funding, Michigan's next legislative leaders will at least need to hold themselves to the commitments set out by their predecessors if residents can expect to see additional improvements in the coming years.
Drivers dodge potholes on Francis Street in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. Many Jackson area roads have potholes appearing. (File photo by J. Scott Park | MLive.com)
Have a serious conversation about reallocating road money
Any state funding that goes into transportation must first go through a formula devised decades ago to determine how agencies split the money.
The system, enacted under Public Act 51, divvies up the money available by level of government - 39 percent to the state, 39 percent to county road commissions and 22 percent to municipalities - and then further divides those shares to individual units of government.
Some believe it's time to rethink this funding structure. A
concluded it's "nearly impossible to address the funding needs of heavily traveled roads or roads in greater need of repair without significantly increasing the allocation of revenues to those roads with less traffic or that have relatively lesser needs."
But discussions about revamping how locals get their money have been nonstarters in the legislature. Switching up the system based on need or road condition would likely mean communities with less-traveled roads would get less money - a tough sell for state lawmakers in more rural areas of the state.
Most Michigan residents don't know who owns the roads they drive on every day. What they do know is what condition the roads are in, and conditions currently aren't a major factor in how roads are funded.
Maybe the current funding system only needs a few tweaks to be more efficient for a modern Michigan. Maybe it's time for a complete overhaul. Regardless, it's an idea that needs to be taken seriously to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used in the most efficient manner possible.
Charles Patterson pours bottled water into a pot for boiling as he prepares to bathe his mother in his home on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in Flint. Patterson uses 15 cases of bottled water a week for cooking and hygienic purposes. It takes a whole case of bottled water to fill the pot to boil hot water so he can wash his mother's face, hair and arms. It takes another case of bottled water to fill three pink tubs to rinse out rags once he finishes bathing his mother. Bronte Wittpenn | MLive.com
Think beyond roads
Michigan officials have a good place to start when it comes to determining what pieces of our infrastructure could use the most work.
Gov. Rick Snyder's 21st Century Infrastructure Commission laid a solid groundwork in a 2016 report on the condition of crucial infrastructure systems and some ways Michigan leadership could move the ball forward in fixing them.
Snyder has pitched policy plans related to the report's findings, but many of the boldest suggestions in the report haven't gained much traction in the Legislature. One recommendation was to create the Michigan Infrastructure Council, a standing team of experts in infrastructure industries, finance and state and regional entities to develop long-term strategies for tackling Michigan's infrastructure needs.
If enacted as the commission envisioned, the council would work across various state agencies to get a complete picture of where infrastructure is at in real time and be able to update that picture as time goes on. Such a group could be a start toward thinking of infrastructure outside of the silos in which it's currently structured - as an overall need, rather than a road need, a bridge need, a water need, a broadband need.
Beyond that recommendation, extensive data is kept on many key aspects of Michigan's infrastructure - especially on the surface. Using data from state and third-party sources, we can pinpoint which bridges need work, which roads are in the poorest condition.
Where data is insufficient or inaccurate, those in leadership could prioritize improving data collection to better determine how limited resources can be best spent. This is particularly important for underground systems and for broadband access, where current data can sometimes fall short of providing the fullest picture.
Get buy-in from local communities
Many counties, cities and townships have taken it upon themselves to ask voters for additional road funding dollars through a property tax millage.
Voters clearly care about infrastructure - in local counties and communities throughout the state, millages dedicated to fixing roads or other aspects of infrastructure have been approved.
There are limitations to that option, and for communities already strapped for cash just to keep operating, infrastructure maintenance could be less of a priority. In addition, many communities are dealing with significant water infrastructure needs, which could get left behind as the limited funds available go towards other immediate concerns.
"They're tapped out," said Dan Gilmartin, Michigan Municipal League Executive Director. "We need real leadership at the state level, real leadership at the federal level, to truly step up and be a partner in infrastructure."
According to a Citizens Research Council report, 37 other states allow a locally assessed tax related to vehicles, and 11 allow local governments to levy a fuel tax. In the absence of new road funding from the state, looking at additional possibilities for funding sources could be part of ongoing conversations on how to deal with aging infrastructure.
Striking the right balance of meeting individual community needs while keeping state and federal assets up to date is crucial to creating a future-forward approach to infrastructure maintenance.
Fully fund it
Any way it's sliced, making Michigan's infrastructure safe and reliable across the board is going to cost a lot of money. The 21st Century Infrastructure Commission estimated that Michigan is facing an annual infrastructure investment gap of nearly $4 billion, or more than $60 billion over the next 20 years.
It goes without saying that that's a lot of money. Coming up with that kind of capital is inherently a political process, and it's natural to disagree on the best way to move forward.
But continuing to underfund the system is unsustainable. Infrastructure continuing to deteriorate unchecked will only make the issues Michigan residents are facing worse over time.
Whether it means shifting resources from other local, state or federal priorities; raising taxes; finding a new source of funding altogether; or some combination of those, having a plan in place that provides enough money for the infrastructure improvements Michigan needs is critical.
It's time for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, at all levels of government, to consider every option that's available, and be willing to make unpopular decisions, if necessary, to make sure the job gets done.
That said, if Michigan voters are being asked to help chip in more money to infrastructure, they need to know exactly where their taxpayer dollars are going, and that it's not being wasted.
Michigan voters strongly refuted a complicated funding system for roads and other forms of infrastructure when they voted down Proposal 1, which would have raised the state sales tax by 1 percent and triggered a series of changes that included funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit, schools and more.
As officials at all levels of government consider new ways to fund aging infrastructure, they should remember that transparency is key. If Michigan residents know exactly why what's being asked of them could help their communities, they could be more likely to support a wide-ranging infrastructure plan.
Keep the future in mind
Infrastructure is such an integral part of our lives that it's easy to forget about unless something goes wrong. When we get in our car to go to work, school or an activity, we expect our roads to get us there. When we turn on our tap, we expect water to come out, and to come out clean and fresh.
As Michigan's infrastructure ages, the possibility of something going wrong becomes more likely. And the ramifications of failing infrastructure go far beyond day-to-day issues for existing residents - it impacts whether businesses want to come to Michigan and bring jobs to the state, or whether graduating students want to stay and start their careers here.
To remain competitive nationally and globally, Michigan leaders should be bold and decisive, and think beyond maintaining our existing infrastructure systems. Rapidly changing technology means our traditional ways of thinking about infrastructure could become obsolete within the next several decades - will Michigan be ready?
Whether it's alternative energy sources, new ways to transmit broadband to rural areas or something that hasn't been discovered yet, innovations in the way our infrastructure is used, built or maintained are out there.
Michigan officials should be aware of the possibilities and embrace new ideas that could be beneficial for the state in the long run.
A pothole is filled with water at the intersection of Michigan Avenue NE and Diamond Avenue NE in Grand Rapids, Mich., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. (Andrew Kuhn | MLive.com)
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