Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s campaign slogan to “fix the damn roads” gained viral attention for the Michigan Democrat.
However, as she gears up to seek another term, the state is still burdened with infrastructure issues. Residents of the state are required to pay thousands of dollars annually to repair their vehicles due to poor road conditions, according to one study from the nonprofit organization, TRIP.
In Detroit, a man fell through a portion of a walkway over the Lodge Freeway. The individual fell just feet away from traffic.
According to a report from The Detroit News, state officials were told of the issue before the accident occurred, but they did not take action to fix it.
“Gretchen Whitmer’s trap-door bridge repair program is putting Michigan motorists and pedestrians in critical danger as she fails to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges,” said RGA Spokesman Chris Gustafson. “These infrastructure failures are the direct result of Whitmer’s broken promise to Michigan voters, and sadly her inaction is now endangering families.”
Whitmer often touts her record on infrastructure, despite the continued problems.
“We are keeping our foot on the gas to fix the damn roads across the state, which will keep drivers safe and save them time and money,” said Governor Whitmer, after one investment. “I am proud that my Rebuilding Michigan plan continues to make record progress to fix our roads and bridges with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed. Since I took office, Michigan has repaired, rebuilt, or replaced over 13,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs.”
The governor also vetoed a bill passed by the state legislature that would have infused $375 million in spending for roads and bridges.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Michigan Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
