Plans Would Detour Funding Roadblocks
Lawmakers Seek Ways To Tap Into Millions for Mackinac Bridge
By Karen Gould

A second idea has now been proposed to transfer millions of dollars to the Mackinac Bridge Authority for maintenance of the bridge, a move that Straits area residents and lawmakers say would help pay for bridge projects and keep tolls down. While legislation introduced by Senator Jason Allen to earmark $5.25 million in federal road trunkline funds for the bridge passed the Senate in December and now sits in a House Transportation Committee awaiting action, a second proposal by State Representative Gary McDowell would set aside $5 million annually from the state's capital outlay budget, which is specifically used for infrastructure improvements. The bridge, Mr. McDowell says, is considered state infrastructure. He is joined by Speaker of the House Andy Dillon in making the proposal, which will be presented by them to the governor this month.

"It's just a possibility," said Mr. McDowell, "but we're going to pursue it."

The capital outlay budget is expected to be presented in the next couple of months, he said. It is funded through the sale of bonds, which has not been possible for several years because of the state's budget deficit. With the state ending the year with a $350 million budget surplus, it now is able to sell bonds again, according to Mr. McDowell.

"This [funding] would come from the whole state, not just Northern Michigan," said Rep. McDowell. "We are able to do this because the state now has a surplus."

With the $5 million allocation, he said, bridge tolls could be lowered.

"The Bridge Authority," he said, "has given us assurances [that] if we find new money, they will adjust rates accordingly."

During December public hearings on bridge toll increases, residents asked why federal road funds allocated to Michigan because of the Mackinac Bridge were not used for the bridge.

The square footage of Mackinac Bridge deck is used in the formula for calculating the amount of federal funding the state will receive each year for bridge work, although the Mackinac Bridge does not receive any portion of those funds.

Senator Allen's legislation would transfer those federal funds to the bridge, although that may not be possible under current federal policy, because the design of the bridge does not meet federal standards, said Aarne Frobom, a transportation planner with the Michigan Department of Transportation in Lansing, who works with federal aid policy.

Lacking required shoulder width on the bridge deck, he said, is a major stumbling block to using the federal funds. Current federal rules require shoulders on roads for safety.

"Although the Mackinac Bridge figures into Michigan's apportionment under the Bridge Program, no federal aid is earmarked for, or usable on, the Mackinac Bridge," said Mr. Frobom. "It is possible that federal bridge aid may never be usable on the Mackinac Bridge, because it can never be widened to eliminate the deficient shoulder width."

That could mean Michigan's legislators in Washington will be asked to seek an exemption.

Michigan receives about $1 billion a year in federal highway aid under to six program apportionment formulas, including the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program. Last year, the state received about $100 million specifically for bridge work.

More than $5 million can be attributed to the Mackinac Bridge, although, technically, Michigan's road money from the federal government isn't dependent on road miles. That's because the bridge aid is based on gasoline taxes collected nationwide and Michigan is considered a "donor state," collecting and sending to Washington more gas tax money than it gets in return. For this reason, said Mr. Frobom, Michigan is guaranteed 92% of its money and would receive about $100 million for bridge work regardless of the total length of its bridges.