County road commissioners meeting in Lansing today heard from a Pennsylvania transportation official on how Michigan can spend more money on its crumbling roads.
Bradley Mallory is the executive deputy secretary of Pennsylvania’s transportation department.
His state recently passed a $2.3 billion road spending plan. The plan includes a higher gas tax and other fees.
Mallory says like Michigan, Pennsylvania lawmakers know they have to do something to fix their roads.
“And I think we finally came to the realization – we can chase all these alternatives – ‘easy money’ scenarios,” says Mallory. “At the end of the day, you’re better off biting the bullet.”
Michigan lawmakers are struggling to agree on a billion dollar road-funding bill which would largely be spent on just maintaining the state’s roads as they are.
A governor’s office spokesman expects a road-funding plan will not be addressed until after the Legislature finishes work on next year’s budget.
