Michigan officials blame vehicles with good fuel economy, EVs for bad county roads

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- According to a report recently published by the County Roads Association, Michigan’s 83 county road departments are struggling to make improvements on the deteriorating county road network, and some officials are blaming the problem on lower Gas Tax collections.

"Increased fuel efficiency of vehicles, underpayment by electric vehicles of all types, and construction inflation are the root causes," the CRA said.

Increased fuel efficiency of nearly all vehicles and more electric vehicles on the road translate to less gas tax coming into the Michigan Transportation Fund.

“Despite the hard work by Michigan’s county road professionals in 2023, our survey found that only 6,080 miles of county roads were improved,” said CEO of the CRA Denise Donohue. “That’s an increase of just over 30 additional miles of roads improved over the 2022 level. In short, counties have stopped gaining on the problem and are fixing less than half of our 13,500-mile-goal – a benchmark set to reach a primarily good- and fair- rated county road network.”

Donohue added that the 33 additional miles – a 0.5 percent increase – indicates that counties are now treading water and "are fighting a losing battle by trying to do the job at current funding levels."

To begin 2023, the CRA had a goal of improving 13,500 road miles improved every year equals 15 percent of the 90,500 miles of county roads in Michigan.

According to the state, counties are responsible for 75 percent of Michigan roads and 52 percent of the bridges.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has eight percent of the roads and 42 percent of the bridges, while cities and villages have 17 percent of the roads and six percent of the bridges.

“[The problem] is compounded by the increased presence of all types of electric vehicles and MDOT’s Highway Construction Cost Index that shows 25 percent cost increases since 2021,” Donohue said. “County road agencies cannot stretch existing dollars any further: We need more transportation funds in this legislative session, along with prompt adoption of a mileage-based pilot program for the future.”

The CRA survey considers road improvements to be anything from road resurfacing, chip sealing to strengthen the surface and gravel replenishment, to occasional total reconstruction as well as crack sealing.

“Counties’ objectives are not to build new roads or major reconstruction, but rather trying to preserve and maintain the county transportation network already established in Michigan,” said CRA Chief Deputy and Legislative Director Ed Noyola. “Without a predominantly good-to-fair county road network, the costs to passenger vehicle drivers and commercial truckers multiply."

Officials say that the 83 members of the CRA of Michigan represent the unified voice for a safe and efficient county transportation infrastructure system in Michigan, including appropriate stewardship of the public’s right-of-way in rural and urban Michigan.

County road agencies also maintain the state’s highway system in 63 counties.