State Reps Host Forum on Roads, Infrastructure

State legislators representing Washtenaw County residents will host a bi-partisan townhall meeting on infrastructure at 6 p.m., March 26 in the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College.

Representatives David Rutledge (D-Superior Twp), Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), Mark Ouimet (R-Scio Twp), and Rick Olson (R-York Twp) will host a transportation and infrastructure town hall. Officials from the Washtenaw County Road Commission and Michigan Department of Transportation will also attend.

The forum will give residents an opportunity to ask local transportation experts questions regarding funding for roads and how the state is addressing the need for revenue to improve our aging infrastructure.

A 2011 House Transportation Committee report called "Michigan's Roads Crisis: What Will it Cost to Maintain Our Roads?" suggested it will cost nearly $1.4 billion more than the state spends annually to improve Michigan's roads. State lawmakers are considering a plan to replace the 19-cent gas tax with a 28.3 cent tax at the wholesale level and increasing annual vehicle registration fees to raise revenue for Michigan's roads.

The Morris Lawrence Building is located at 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor.