Many county road budgets in Michigan are idling on empty after our brutal winter.
They hope state lawmakers will agree soon on an emergency road funding bill.
Drivers in Michigan could be forgiven if they think their morning commute feels more like an off-road adventure.
Brutal winter weather has turned many roads into a moonscape of potholes, more suited to an ATV than the family car.
Denise Donohue is the director of the County Road Association of Michigan. She says some county road agencies have blown through a year’s budget in just two months.
She says they need the emergency road funding state lawmakers are debating.
“The sooner the better,” says Donohue, “I know road agencies that have blown through 100% of their maintenance budget.”
House and Senate lawmakers are having some trouble agreeing on exactly how much to put into the bill.
State lawmakers are debating how to come up with about $100 million in emergency road funding.
Donohue says the need may be closer to $150 million, but the county road agencies will take whatever they can.
