Oakland's roads are congested and filled with potholes. Why is that? Because, when it comes to funding, roads have been Michigan's "forgotten priority" for at least 40 years.

Consider This Data From the U.S. Census Bureau:

Note:  This table refers to state and local funds, not federal funds. These are the monies we (and other states) raise on our own to help ourselves, and which are used primarily to address road "conditions". When we discuss the "condition" of Michigan roads, we are referring to the physical condition of the road surface, not the amount of traffic the road carries or how well the traffic moves. Condition essentially refers to Michigan's pothole problem.

As indicated, Michigan has done a fairly good job of funding health, education, and welfare efforts, compared to other states. We have performed miserably, however, when it comes to spending on roads. The table reveals that Michigan has been in the bottom 10 states in the nation in per capita state and local spending on roads since at least 1964. Even after the 1997 4-cent gas tax increase, Michigan ranked 42nd in the nation.

If you further break down these numbers, and compare per capita state vs. local spending on roads, you find that Michigan ranks 13th in the nation in per capita local spending on roads, but 50th (dead last) in state spending. That means that the local communities have done their part to fund road condition repairs. The state, meanwhile, has done worse than every other state in the nation in terms of generating money to address the surface condition of our roads.

Clearly, residents of Southeast Michigan are frustrated by the state's lack of attention to roads. A recent SEMCOG study finds that:

The Condition Situation:

What should be done about the condition of Oakland's road surfaces (potholes)? The majority of funding to maintain roads comes from the state gas tax and license plate fees. The state has clearly failed to address this issue compared to other states. Lansing must address this issue.

The Congestion Situation:

Congestion is another story. Lansing and Washington aren't likely to address Oakland's congestion problem.  However, the problem continues to grow. Consider these projections of population and job growth.

According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) by 2020:

How Big is Our Congestion Problem?

Oakland has the most heavily traveled and congested roads in Michigan. Oakland's roads are approaching gridlock faster than any other area in the state.

The estimated cost to address congestion on Oakland's local roads over the next ten years is $1.7 billion ($1.3 billion on Road Commission for Oakland County roads and $0.4 billion on city/village streets). This number far exceeds the federal road funds the county will receive in that period (most congestion related road projects are paid for with federal funds). That means the county will fall further behind in its efforts to address congestion.

The $1.7 billion in congestion-related road needs may seem like a large figure. However, consider the cost of major road improvements:

The magnitude of the problem is clear when you consider the situation of the Oakland County Federal Aid Task Force, which distributes federal road funds to the Road Commission, cities and villages. Each year the body selects projects to receive the approximately $22 million in mostly federal funding it receives. Projects are selected using an objective point system. The system favors projects that do the most to reduce congestion or improve safety.

In early 2003, the committee had $21.8 million to work with, but received applications for projects that would cost $376 million to complete. That is just one year's applications and represents only those projects that the Road Commission, cities, and villages thought would be able to "compete" for the funds.

Are There Other Solutions?

What about some of the other "solutions" to road congestion that are sometimes discussed, such as better mass transit, improved land use or increased use of technology? These efforts may help a little, but they will not eliminate the need for widening roads. None of these efforts will significantly reduce the number of vehicles jockeying for space on Oakland's roads.

What Does This Mean to You?

Think about the negative impacts of congestion:

There will never be enough state or federal money available to solve this problem

: top :