As stewards of our state’s public works, we are proud of the infrastructure legacy that has been entrusted to us, and we are very encouraged by Governor Snyder’s efforts to repair Michigan’s deteriorating roads. Like the Governor, we too are ready to write a new chapter for Michigan’s future, with modern infrastructure systems capable of keeping pace with a 21st century economy. The Governor said that infrastructure investment is about saving us money, and we could not agree more.

We know that the Governor faces a tough path ahead in selling his plan, but the facts are undeniable. Infrastructure is a system, and Michigan’s roadways are only a part of that system. Businesses use roads to ship goods, but they also use airports, seaports, railways, and inland waterways. Families trust their highways to be safe, but they also trust their drinking water to be clean and for their trash to be collected on time. No infrastructure sector exists in a vacuum.

Infrastructure investment is not “wasteful” spending. In fact, in our newest economic report, Failure to Act: The Impact of Current Infrastructure Investment on America’s Economic Future, we found that aging and unreliable infrastructure will cost American households $611 billion over the next seven years. We must build the necessary foundation for Michigan families and businesses to thrive, which will drive our economy and improve our quality of life.

The State of the State address is our annual opportunity as Michiganders to take stock of our state and lay the groundwork for the path ahead. We applaud the Governor on his roads plan. The Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers exists to bring attention to our state’s infrastructure needs and we encourage leaders from all parties to invest in Michigan’s future.

- Dan Lewis, P.E., President of the Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers

ASCE Civil Engineers infrastructure infrastructure funding Michigan Rick Snyder road funding State of the State