- TRIP reports that Lansing drivers spend nearly $2,000 annually due to driving on rough and congested roads.
- The report measures vehicle operating costs, fuel loss due to congested roads, and the cost of traffic crashes.
- Michigan still faces a $3.9 Billion dollar gap in transportation funding.
Despite recent increases in transportation investment, TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, estimates that Lansing drivers spend nearly $2,000 annually due to driving on rough and congested roads. I’m your neighborhood reporter Ava Zanglin, finding out what’s causing these costs.
Michigan drivers face deteriorating roads every day.
"Not sure if they know the extent of the damages that the roads are causing on the vehicle," said Eric Goodnoe.
Causing financial expenses and wear and tear to their vehicles.
"Typically we see a lot of potholes or broken up roadways that can impact suspension," said Goodnoe.
Rocky Moretti, the Director of Policy and Research at TRIP, said Michigan saw an increase in funding for our roads, but it wasn't enough to combat inflation costs
“Unfortunately over the past two years, we’ve seen a 43% rate of inflation in highway construction. This significant rise in inflation has really limited the positive impact of that additional funding,” said Rocky Moretti.
The report, called Keeping Michigan Mobile, found that driving on Michigan roads and bridges costs Michiganders a total of $17 billion dollars annually. Measuring vehicle operating costs, fuel loss due to congested roads, and the cost of traffic crashes. TRIP reported that 40% of the pavement on major urban roads in Lansing is in poor condition.
“These are our locally and state maintained roadways so it’s really all of the roadways once you’ve left your neighborhood," said Moretti.
And that's not the only expense.
"The average motorist is spending an additional sixteen hours annually stuck in traffic and wasting about six gallons of fuel," said Moretti.
TRIP found that Michigan still faces a $3.9 billion dollar gap in transportation funding, a number that could increase if maintenance is delayed.
In Lansing, I’m Ava Zanglin, Fox 47.
