The perils of decades of under investing in roads

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a focus on the challenge road agencies face trying to make repairs at a faster pace than the pavement deteriorates.

First, Chad Livengood, senior editor at Crain’s Detroit Business with a long track record reporting on transportation policy and funding in Michigan, talks about his takeaways from an in-depth story (subscription) posted this week that explores the real needs for roads and bridges owned by the state’s 616 road agencies.

Later, Craig Newell, administrator of MDOT’s statewide planning division, talks about his division’s work in monitoring pavement condition and helping with long-term decisions about investments and projects.

Gov. Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan plan investing an additional $3.5 billion into state trunklines (M, US, and I-routes) is aimed at staving off deterioration and keeping more pavement in the good category.

Livengood cites data from the Transportation Asset Management Council that shows how Michigan’s 2015 road funding legislation did not solve the decades-long problem of underinvestment in transportation infrastructure.

Livengood also recalls previous reporting that detailed the growth of outer ring suburbs and the demands they create for more publicly financed infrastructure. He asks again, "Can we afford it as we struggle to maintain what we have?" He also recalls this previous commentary: Want to fix roads? Start with the damn term limits.

Following Livengood, MDOT’s Newell explains the importance of closely monitoring pavement and applying sound asset management principles to determine what kind of fix is best, whether it’s preventive maintenance, resurfacing or completely rebuilding a road.

Newell also explains how MDOT became a national leader in asset management in 1997 and is still pioneering innovative efforts today.