The President of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Rich Studley and House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Pam Byrnes led a press conference on May 14 that outlined the desparate need to increase the investment in our transportation infrastructure. The Rotunda of the State Capitol was packed with supporters and media to capture the event included many members of ACEC.

Since the press conference, House Bills 4961-4967 have been introduced. These are primarily reform bills and are as follows:

HB 4961 (Sponsor Gonzales) Allows Public Private Partnerships
HB 4962 (Sponsor Gonzales) Enhances the scope of the transportation asset management program
HB 4963 (Sponsor Ball) Expands transit asset management program
HB 4964 (Sponsor Lori) Establishes incentives for planning multi-county corridors
HB 4965 (Sponsor Schmidt) Establishes a transit regionalization grant program
HB 4966 (Sponsor Donigan) Repeals the  local bus new services program
HB 4967 (Sponsor Kandrevas) Provides for tax increment financing transportation investment zone

The key transportation funding bills have to be introduced as advocates look for sponsors for the bills. The release of the ASCE Michigan Infrastructure Report Card on May 12 by the Michigan Section of ASCE has been very helpful in this effort by increasing the awareness of our failing infrastruture. The report card gives Michigan infrastructure an overall cumulative grade of a D.

For more information Contact: Ron Brenke