ROAD WOES: Michigan ranks 40th in study of overall road conditions
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AskalmostanyonewhodriveshereinMichigan,andtheyareprobablygoingtobelessthancomplimentaryaboutthestate’sroadconditions,andanassessmentreleasedthismonthfromtheCitizensResearchCouncilofMichiganbacksthatup.
Michigan’sroadsranked40thoutof50statesforoverallroadconditionsbasedonbridgeandpavementconditionsreportedbytheFederalHighwayAdministration.
Thisisunchangedfromtheirrankingin2024.
Hereishowtherankingswork:eachstateisassignedacomponentindexscorebasedonthepercentageofinfrastructureinbothgoodandpoorcondition.
Thosescoresarecombinedwithasimpleaveragetodeterminethefinalranking,andMichiganendedupat40thoutofthe50states.
Afterthisreportcameout,IspokewithJohnRichardwiththeMichiganDepartmentofTransportation(MDOT)intheGrandRegion,andhetoldmepartofthereasonforroadandbridgedeteriorationisthatmostofitwasdesignedinthe40sandbuiltbackinthe50sand60s,andisdeteriorating.
AndMichiganisatoughplacetobuildandmaintainroads.
“We’
