KWIT Local
(2009-05-12)
I-94
(Steve Carmody, Michigan Radio)
A report prepared by civil engineers gives Michigan low marks for how it's taking care of its transportation and water infrastructure.
Rom Brenkey is the executive director of the Michigan chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He says some of the problems outlined in the study hurt Michigan economically. Others endanger people's health and safety.
Brenke says people are generally aware there are problems facing roads and bridges. But he says people may not know when their drinking water is in danger of being contaminated, or when sewage overflows into rivers.
"What's troubling is a lot of this infrastructure is below ground , so it's out of sight, and when it's out of sight, it's out of mind," says Brenkey.
Kirk Steidle is the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. Steidle says he agrees with the findings.
"What I find most troubling about this, and this is not the first year the scores have come out this low," says Steidle, "The national reports have been coming out for years and the grades continue to get lower and lower and lower. And we've had little action to solve the problem and if we don't solve the problem we are only hurting ourselves in the long run."
Steidle says other states are also struggling to maintain and improve their infrastructure. But he says Michigan is running a little behind the national average.
The report also says Michigan is in trouble because it does not have light rail systems serving population centers in southeast and western Michigan. © Copyright 2012, MPRN
