Report: Michigan's Roads Go from 'Poor to Terrible'

"According to 2014 data from the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council, only 17% of the state's roads are considered to be in good shape, 45% are in fair condition and 38% were considered to be in poor shape," reports Eric D. Lawrence.

The news precedes a May 5 ballot initiative before the state's voters "to decide on a complex measure that will raise the state sales tax to provide money for road repairs," adds Lawrence. Proposal 1, as its called, would raise $1.2 billion, but Lawrence indicates that the initiative's fate is far from certain. Planetizen correspondent Irvin Dawid elucidated the complexities of Proposal 1 in a January 30 article.

Lawrence provides details about the current political situation of Proposal 1 as well as providing a lot more detail about Michigan's current efforts to maintain and repair its transportation infrastructure. According to Lawrence, for instance, "Michigan spends less per capita on its roads than every other state, according to U.S. Census data, which said the state spent $126 per capita in 2012." That's a 6 percent drop since 2011 and it compares poorly with neighboring states. Ohio spends $258, Illinois $325, Indiana $339, Minnesota $241, and Wisconsin at $295.