Detroit City Wire

There may not be enough funds to fix Michigan’s highways, and the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame.

A key source of revenue for future highway and bridge projects -- collections from state and federal taxes collected for every gallon purchased at the gas pump -- took a nosedive when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued stay-at-home orders in an effort to stunt the virus outbreak.

Jeff Cranson, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation, said the state's 2020 construction program is covered, but it remains to be seen whether there is enough cash to pay for anything beyond that.

Jim Tymon, chief operating officer and director of policy and management for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, added that the stay-at-home orders have reduced the amount of motorists on the roads, which has led to a decrease in the amount of revenue for transportation projects.

The state gas tax, vehicle registration, and auto dealer fees sustain the Michigan Transportation Fund. Michigan also receives close to $1 billion annually from the federal highway trust fund, which is supported by federal gasoline taxes.

Though Michigan is in the process of reopening and many Michiganders are hitting the road again, at least to go to work, Cranson warned that the state will still carry the weight of lost revenue if Washington does not lend any assistance.

“As in many states, Michigan officials have had to explore various means of raising revenue at the state level because Congress has neglected the issue for so long," Cranson told The Detroit News.

Michigan is among a cadre of states that sought federal aid when the coronavirus brought on gas-tax woes. The Detroit News reported that the state is backing the effort of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials to secure transportation department bailouts.