Workers Rally for Increased Funding for Michigan’s Roads and Bridges

Workers Rally at Michigan State Capitol for Increased Road Funding

On Wednesday, a large assembly of workers equipped with hard hats gathered at the Michigan state capitol in Lansing. Their mission: to urge lawmakers to devise a robust plan to enhance spending on the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges.

Recent reports and studies have highlighted a pressing need for Michigan to invest billions more annually just to keep its roads in their current state.

Jonathan Huggins, a heavy equipment operator from Alcona County, expressed his concerns at the rally. “We all need our jobs,” Huggins stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “And if nothing gets passed here within the near future, there’s going to be a lot of us without jobs.”

While federal COVID relief funds and certain state bonds have previously boosted Michigan’s road construction budget, these financial aids are nearing an end.

Currently, there are multiple multi-billion dollar proposals being discussed in Lansing to address road funding, but there is a partisan divide over these plans.

Dan McKernan from Operating Engineers 324, a local union, expressed his concern: “Our road funding falls off a cliff as soon as that next fiscal year starts. It’s time to get in a room and get it done. We need a sustainable road funding bill that doesn’t rob Peter to pay Paul and actually fixes the problems that we have once and for all.”

The upcoming fiscal year commences on October 1, adding urgency to the negotiations.

In addition to road maintenance funding, lawmakers are still deliberating over other critical parts of the state budget, such as education expenditures.