LANSING, MI — Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed a comprehensive, sustainable, long-term plan to fix Michigan's roads for generations to come. The $3 billion plan includes funds to help communities fix local roads, boost transit, improve safety on the roads, and reduce the cost of vehicle repairs for Michigan drivers. It also includes new cuts and revenue streams to fix the roads.
With the help of the Rebuilding Michigan plan, Whitmer has fixed more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges, supporting tens of thousands of good-paying jobs without raising taxes on drivers. According to the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council, more of Michigan’s roads are now in good or fair condition. However, Michiganders are still paying more than $750 a year for car repairs, and Michigan’s local communities still need a long-term solution to continue fixing the roads and ensure Michiganders and companies can depend on reliable infrastructure across the state.
“I’m excited to introduce my brand-new plan that provides a long-term, sustainable solution to fix our roads so we can help more Michiganders stay safe on the road, save money, and get where they’re going faster," Whitmer said. "My plan is fiscally responsible and balanced, with both new revenue and cuts so we can lower costs for families.”
Whitmer is proposing a $3 billion plan that is not funded by commuters, reflects Michigan’s 21st century transportation infrastructure needs, and ensures local governments still get the resources they need through Constitutional Revenue Sharing, with the plan holding the School Aid Fund harmless. The plan explicitly allocates more than $1 billion in new, ongoing investments for local communities to fix neighborhood roads, lower the cost of car repairs, and improve safety.
“I’m very pleased that the governor has put forward a comprehensive solution to funding Michigan’s roads,” MDOT Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. “The governor’s Rebuilding Michigan plan has made record-setting progress shoring up our state’s busiest roads and bridges, and this plan will allow MDOT and local agencies to sustain that momentum.”
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Key elements of Whitmer’s plan include new revenue and cuts to ensure ongoing, dedicated roads and transit funding:
The Mi Road Ahead Plan will ensure that every dollar drivers pay at the pump goes toward fixing the roads and building better transportation infrastructure and building better transportation. Right now, Michigan drivers pay a federal and state gas tax plus a 6 percent state sales tax on every gallon of gas, but not all of that goes toward roads. Under laws set by previous administrations, the state sales tax funds are diverted away from fixing the roads, leaving a gap in funding. The plan will close the gap by ensuring that every penny drivers pay at the pump goes toward Michigan infrastructure. This will put a total of $1.2 billion toward roads, bridges, and transit across the state.
Whitmer’s plan will ask massive corporations and Big Tech industries, such as Amazon, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok, led by the nation’s wealthiest individuals, pay their fair share to do business in Michigan and use Michigan roadways. Currently, Michigan laws have not been updated to account for Big Tech industries that profit from using Michigan’s infrastructure. To deliver goods and services to Michiganders these corporations haul heavy weights using semi-trucks that deteriorate roads and bridges faster than commuter vehicles. The plan will make sure that corporations pay their fair share to do business in Michigan and rebuild roads proportionally to the damage they cause. This will raise $1.7 billion in additional revenue to fix the roads.
Whitmer has been working to cut red tape, find savings, and make government more efficient. She has paid down billions in debt and brought the Rainy Day Fund to an all time high of more than $2 billion. Her plan includes fiscally responsible cuts as part of a long-term solution to fix the roads. By cutting costs, the governor’s plan will inject $500 million of additional funding into road and bridge repairs.
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The Mi Road Ahead Plan will close a loophole that exempted the marijuana industry from wholesale tax, which is applied to similar smoking products, like cigarettes and other tobacco items. After voters legalized marijuana, the industry has grown exponentially due in part to Michigan’s industry-friendly taxes, the fourth lowest in the nation. The industry, which recorded billions in sales in 2024, uses Michigan roads to transport marijuana multiple times throughout the process, including to grow operations, testing labs, distribution hubs, and finally retail stores. This will add an additional $470 million to help fix roads across the state.
Michiganders support investing in a robust public transit system that helps more people travel safely, lowers costs for commuters and seniors, and eases congestion on roads and bridges. That is why the Mi Road Ahead plan will build on the progress made with $250 million to invest in every local bus service and to build new transit projects across the state.
