October 22, 2009
From 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Flushing Township Hall
6524 N. Seymour Road
Flushing , Michigan 48433
The Genesee County Road Commission wants you to know that as part of the recently passed 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act a new road reconstruction project is being proposed for Elms Road from Potter Road to Flushing Road. The project would reduce the present four lane configuration and make the roadway a three lane configuration with shoulders. The public open house and input session listed above will provide an opportunity for you to provide comment and/or to ask questions regarding this proposed project. If you are unable to attend this session and have comments or questions regarding this project please contact:
Fred Peivandi, County Highway Engineer
211 W. Oakley Street
Flint, Michigan 48503
Telephone: 810-767-4920 extension 234
Fax: 810-767-6570
Email: fpeivandi@gcrc.org
This open house and input session complies with the intent of the Michigan Operations Manual D-121 for projects proposing to convert 4-to-3 lane roadways using Federal Aid transportation funds through the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.
Hill Road from Georgetown to Belsay to be under construction
The Genesee County Road Commission announced today that Hill Road between Georgetown Road and Belsay Road in Grand Blanc Township will be under construction starting Tuesday, October 13th at 7:00am for resurfacing. One lane of traffic will be maintained within the project limits using flag control. Motorists are urged to slow down, be patient, proceed with caution and expect delays. This resurfacing project is expected to be completed on or before November 13, 2009. For more information please call Construction Manager, John Plamondon, P.E., at 767-4920, ext 232.
Flashing Yellow Arrow Left-Turn Signal to be Installed at Intersection on Pierson Road and Linden Road in Mt. Morris Township
The Genesee County Road Commission and announced today that a new left-turn traffic signal which incorporates a flashing yellow left-turn arrow will be installed at the intersection of Pierson Road and Linden Road in Mt. Morris Township on Monday September 21, 2009.
This new type of four-arrow signal is being introduced nationwide and ultimately will be required at all intersections where there is a separate left-turn arrow signal. They are replacing the flashing red left-turn signals that are now common in Michigan.
A national study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration demonstrated that the new signals help to prevent accidents with drivers making fewer mistakes with the new signals than with traditional flashing red left-turn signals. They also move traffic more efficiently and provide traffic engineers with more options to handle variable traffic volumes. They also eliminate the potential confusion caused by a flashing red arrow. Red universally means STOP.
The new signal will consist of four phases or intervals as follows:
Interval 1 - Flashing Yellow Arrow: turn left when oncoming traffic is clear (Caution – remember, oncoming traffic has a green light).
Interval 2 - Steady Green Arrow: turn left. Oncoming traffic has a red light.
Interval 3 - Steady Yellow Arrow: This is a warning that the left-turn signal is about to change to red and that you should prepare to stop – or prepare to complete your left turn if you are legally within the intersection and there is no conflicting traffic.
Interval 4 - Steady Red Arrow: Stop. (This interval is followed by Interval 1).
For more information or to request a full color brochure with more details, please call Traffic Engineering Manager Bonnie Wood at (810) 767-4920 Ext. 269
Click Here to view the brochure for more information.
Road Commission Keeps Work in House to Save Money
After a couple of successful “pilot projects” the Genesee County Road Commission is expanding its practice of keeping smaller resurfacing projects in house, performing the work with its own staff and equipment instead of contracting it out to an independent paving company as has been the practice historically. Using paving equipment purchased two years ago, the Road Commission started small, doing spot repaving on several roads including Sharp Road between Reid Road and Grand Blanc Road, and on Jennings Road between Reid Road and Grand Blanc Road.
With safety and cost-effectiveness always the overriding factors in the decision-making process, the Road Commission looked at the result of these smaller pilot projects and concluded that they could indeed do a quality job of paving larger stretches of road, making these roads safer while extending their service life for 8-10 years, and do so at considerable savings. So the Road Commission purchased a larger paver and took on larger challenges – beginning with Maple Avenue between Linden Road and Elms Road.
This road was in a good candidate for repair, rating a 3 (Poor) on the PASER Road Condition 10-scale. But to resurface this road the traditional way, by contracting out to a paving company, would cost approximately $1,000,000, which was beyond the budget of the Road Commission and Flint and Mundy Townships which the road borders. And since this section of Maple Avenue is classified as a Local Road, the Road Commission is prohibited from paying for more than half of the cost of the project. Which meant that if this road was going to be resurfaced the Townships would have to participate.
The Road Commission estimated that to do the project with its own workers and equipment would cost only $ 200,000. This was a figure the three entities could work with. The Townships agreed to participate and the Road Commission resurfaced the road.
Maintenance Director Anthony Branch sees this as a money-saver this year and in the future. “We have proven that we can do these larger jobs with excellent results. We can give these roads several more years of life at a fraction of the cost of contracting it out. We can’t do this with all resurfacings because we still have all of our other maintenance tasks to do, like mowing and sweeping, sign, signal and guardrail repair and the like, but in certain instances we can save quite a bit by doing these ourselves. At this rate the paving machine will pay for itself in 2 years.”
To see pictures of the paving in progress or for more information visit the Road Commission’s web site (http://www.gcrc.org/PhotoPage15.html) or call Anthony Branch, director of maintenance, at (810) 767-4920, extension 286
Toll-free number helps drivers reach lawmakers to urge action on transportation ills
The Michigan Transportation Team (MTT) has set up a new toll-free number allowing state drivers to encourage lawmakers to fix Michigan's crumbling transportation system.
By dialing 888-719-3087, callers will only have to enter their five-digit zip code to be connected with their legislator at no cost to them.
"This toll-free number is a resource for anyone who has blown a tire, cracked a rim, or spilled coffee in their lap after passing over a famous Michigan pothole," said Mike Nystrom, vice president of government and public relations for the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA) and co-chair of MTT. "Legislators have told us that they want to hear from their constituents on the issue of Michigan's failing transportation system, we're happy to oblige."
The Michigan Legislature is currently exploring a package of bills that would increase road funding over the next five years in Michigan. The plan is expected to yield an additional $1.8 billion in new transportation revenue per year, increasing the amount local road commissions would receive to maintain, repair and replace existing roads as well as create 46,000 jobs for the state. If Michigan legislators fail to address Michigan's transportation funding needs, Michigan's road and bridge funding will plummet dramatically in 2011, causing the state to return almost $600 million a year to Washington because of the state's inability to match federal aid.
"Our transportation system is in shambles," Nystrom said. "Our roads, bridges, and busses have been drastically underfunded for years and it is time our lawmakers take notice. Our crumbling roadways are no longer safe for Michigan motorists and we need our legislators to hear this from the public."
MTT is a broad-based, bi-partisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens linked with the common goal of improving Michigan's transportation infrastructure.
The Genesee County Road Commission, with the Michigan Department of Transportation, is pleased to announce the rehabilitation of Pasadena Avenue between I-75 and Clio Road.
Starting Monday, August 3, 2009 at 7:00am, this section of Pasadena Avenue will be under construction. Detour of Pasadena Avenue from I-75 to Jennings Road will start August 3rd and be opened to traffic August 24th. After a brief detour, one (1) lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on Pasadena Avenue until completion in November.
This project, which entails repairing the 2 outside concrete lanes and reconstructing the 2 center lanes with concrete, is one of four for which the Road Commission will receive American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) “stimulus” funding. The Road Commission will receive $1,536,105 for this project. They are providing all of the engineering and inspection at a cost to the Road Commission of $350,105.
For more information visit the Road Commission’s web site (www.gcrc.org) or call Fred Peivandi, director of engineering, at (810) 767-4920, extension 234.
Road Commission making the most of limited stimulus dollars
The Genesee County Road Commission has announced that it will receive $4,202,383 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) “stimulus” funds for road improvements. This might sound like a lot, but it is less than one regular annual allocation of federal aid to the Road Commission, and the agency will be making the most of every dollar. In fact, they are supplementing these stimulus funds with their own contribution in an effort to make the stimulus dollars go as far as possible, according to Fred Peivandi, director of engineering. “We want motorists to realize that the stimulus funds, while welcomed, are nowhere near enough to fix all the roads in Genesee County. We were only able to program four projects, each of which is on a road that is in poor condition, has relatively high traffic volumes and has minimal impact on environmental issues. Even so, the Road Commission will be contributing over a million dollars to these projects, including all of the engineering and inspection costs, which are typically 20% of the construction cost.”
The following table shows the four projects that the Road Commission will be doing with stimulus funds.
The projects on Pasadena Avenue, Clio Road and Irish Road will be completed yet this summer, and the Elms Road work will be done next spring. For additional information contact Fred Peivandi, Genesee County Road Commission director of engineering at 767-4920, ext 234.
If you could change one thing about the state of Michigan right now, with the snap of your fingers, what would it be? More jobs?
I mean other than that.
Make the Lions less lousy?
C'mon. Be reasonable. You know that'll never happen. The clouds? We could use fewer clouds.
I meant something we can actually do something about. The roads?
Ding, ding, ding! Now you're thinking. I think most people - granted one wish - would choose better roads in Michigan over just about anything else.
Why?
Because, as you and I know only too well, they - not to put too fine a point on it - they stink. They stink like my 15-year-old son's sneakers. They stink like his gym bag after he's left a wet towel in it for a week. They stink like ...
Well, you get the idea. They're not good. And by "not good," I mean "goat paths."
I bring this up now because our fearless leaders in Lansing - after more less ignoring the problem for decades -- are finally, sorta, kinda ready to do something about it.
A coalition of heavy hitters in Lansing wants to dump the 19-cents-per-gallon flat gas tax with a stew of other taxes and fees that would ultimately result in an estimated $1.8 billion to fix the roads. Others say it would be simpler to simply raise the existing per gallon tax.
Either way, as usual, the timing is perfect. The nation is in the worst recession since the Great Depression. The state's economy is in shambles. Chrysler is in bankruptcy. General Motors will join them soon.
What better time to raise taxes, right?
Well, yes, at least as far as I'm concerned. The roads must be fixed. It's a problem that isn't going to go away, and it stifles business development and tourism in Michigan.(Would you move your business here if you drove on our roads for more than five minutes? Would you visit more than once? Michigan - the Shock Absorber State.)
Worse than that, the sorry state of our roads -- this'll sound strange, but I swear it's true -- is mentally debilitating to one and all.
We drive these roads day in and day out and, aside from the sheer physical toll on our vehicles and bodies, they reinforce in us the image that Michigan isn't a good place, a prosperous place, a place we want to stay.
You wonder why all our kids grow up and leave? Yeah, jobs, of course. But also there's a slow, subtle build-up in them of negative little messages about the state. The roads stink, the parks look shabby, the cities offer little, nothing seems first -rate. So off they go.
Good roads make a difference. I know it first-hand. My neighborhood was just repaved, transforming it overnight - physically and mentally -- from a place you'd never want to buy a house to what it is, a great family neighborhood.
The cost? Five grand per house, spread over 10 years.
That's steep. But some things you can't afford not to do.
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5/11/2009, 2:17 p.m. EDT
DAVID HARRIS The Associated Press
(AP) — VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Mich. - It's pothole season and the job of filling them isn't what you would call fun.
The asphalt is messy and has a musty smell. Cars whiz by in excess of 50 miles per hour in the work zone.
It's monotonous. It's dangerous. And it's hard work.
"It's a pretty thankless job," Genesee County Road Commission worker Jeff Rotenheber said recently. "People are ticked when they hit a pothole, and they're ticked at you when they have to go around you when you're working."
Road commission workers are at their busiest this spring, repairing roads throughout the county hit hard by the brutal winter.
"This spring, I've done it for two months straight," said worker Ralph Laugavitz. "That's all we did."
Workers spent one entire day filling potholes on a mile-long stretch of Saginaw Road between Lake and Willard roads in Vienna Township, about 65 miles north-northwest of Detroit.
"Since winter's been over, they've been right in our area," said Ron Green, 65, of Vienna Township. "There's a few places around Clio that's been bad for a while."
James Landon of Mount Morris is used to the potholes.
"It's pretty systemic with springtime," he said. "It's just part of living in this great state of ours."
The process of filling potholes is simple enough.
Two workers walk behind a truck loaded with about 6 tons of asphalt-made up of rock and tar-based glue-and scoop up a shovelful and lay it down.
But it's hard manual labor. One shovelful weighs about 30 pounds.
"Your shoulders are aching when you are doing it everyday," Rotenheber said. "It keeps your upper body strong."
The workers start at 6 a.m. and usually work in fours as they make their way across the 2,000 miles of road the county maintains.
One drives the truck with the asphalt. Two fill potholes. The fourth follows in a pickup truck to warn motorists they are entering a work zone.
They work on one-mile stretches at a time with the knowledge their efforts will eventually be obliterated.
Patched-up Vienna Road will be repaved later this year, but the road commission still has to maintain it until then.
"You don't want people to bust tires or bend rims," Laugavitz said.
Rotenheber said although the work gets boring sometimes, he still enjoys it. "Everything you do makes a difference."
Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later
Author: AASHTO
See it at : http://roughroads.transportation.org/
Across the United States, motorists are losing $335 a year because of the wear and tear on their cars from bad roads, but in Michigan that number is even higher than the national average at $370, according a report released Friday by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and TRIP, a transportation research group. The cost to motorists was even higher in cities like Detroit with a population of 250,000 or more, where people are paying $525 more annually.
The report, "Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay For It Later," found that one-third of the major highways in the United States are in poor or mediocre condition and roads in urban areas, which have more traffic, are in even worse condition. In Michigan, 37 percent of the state, city and county major roadways are in the same rundown condition, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. But Michigan fared well in some comparisons. Only 36 percent of metropolitan Detroit’s roadways are in poor condition. In the Los Angeles area, 64 percent of the roads are in poor condition.
"Michigan is in a battle to keep our transportation system in good working order," said Kirk Steudle, director of the Department of Transportation. "Rapidly increasing costs, diminishing revenues, and an inability to match federal funds in 2011 means rough roads will be an ever increasing part of driving in Michigan unless we commit to finding the resources to support the caliber of transportation system that Michigan's economy needs. "Legislation implementing the recommendations from the Transportation Funding Task Force, including taxes on the wholesale price of gasoline, will be introduced soon.
Almost half of Genesee County Roads deemed 'very bad,' but these are the worst
by Ron Fonger | The Flint Journal
Thursday April 30, 2009, 10:40 AM
Editor's Note: The listing of Genesee County's worst-rated roads should have indicated that South Center Road is a border-line road that separates Burton and Flint.
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- In a county where more roads are bad than good, Juan Garcia lives on the worst of the worst.
The little stretch of South Term Street in Burton, from Iron to Lockhead streets, is riddled with asphalt patches and potholes. It has cracking over more than 25 percent of its surface and severe ruts -- some of which sink down more than 2 inches deep.
Although the county Planning Commission issues a report on the general condition of major roads every year, a Flint Journal review of additional county records shows about three dozen sections of road were identified by evaluators last year as "very poor" --the worst of the worst -- just like the street in front of Garcia's house.
"That's true," the 64-year-old said of the rating for his street. "It's in bad shape, (and) it keeps getting worse."
Road sections in the "very poor" category were rated as a 2 on a numerical scale of zero (worst) to 10 (best). The road sections rated as 2 were as bad as it got for the entire 1,052 miles of federal-aid eligible roads in the county.
Almost 500 miles county's of asphalt and concrete roads were rated in the 0-4 area, meaning nearly half of all roads need structural improvements -- something officials say there isn't enough money to do.
Another 364 miles was rated from 5 to 7, requiring joint repairs, seal coat or crack filling, and just 189 miles of road are rated 8 to 10, needing little or no maintenance.
"You're like a hamster on a wheel" trying to keep it all fixed, said Flint Transportation Director John Carpenter. "These (worst-condition streets) are the ones that we give the most attention to."
Some streets rated among the county's worst last year were actually repaired late in the 2008 construction season or could be on the drawing board for repairs this year.
That's the case with Burton's Davison Road --Â from Center Road to Farner Drive --which is being repaired with federal stimulus money.
"We have plans to continue to fix all of our roads as they become eligible and funding is available," Burton Mayor Charles Smiley said.
But many other roads with very poor ratings remain an aggravation for those who drive them.
"In general ... our overall system is deteriorating rather than improving," the new report says. "There is an increased need for (maintenance) improvements to help stabilize the (system)."
County Road Commission Manager-Director John Daly said funding remains the biggest obstacle to keeping up with repairs.
Streets under the jurisdiction of the Road Commission are funded based on the rating report, traffic volume and how much time has passed since the last major repair.
Most of the money for repairs of the major roads comes from a federal transportation tax on gasoline that is split between the Michigan Department of Transportation, cities and the Road Commission, which fixes township roads.
Road officials are also balancing the benefit of spending to properly fix problems in the worst roads -- which costs the most -- with maintaining streets that are in better condition but will deteriorate without maintenance.
"They can fall from that middle-category pretty quickly," said Stan Brantley, an associate planner for the county. "There's not enough money to do them all, (and) there's not enough money to do total reconstruction."
The condition of roads all over the county has riled drivers for years, and officials with road agencies have complained that funding has failed to keep pace with needs and the price of materials.
"It seems pretty bad this year -- probably the worst I've seen it," said Kim Harger, 41, who has lived in northern Genesee County for several years. "You can't help but hit potholes."
Federal stimulus funding will help some but can't cover many road repairs, says Flint Journal letter writer
by Flint Journal reader
Wednesday April 22, 2009, 10:49 AM
Since the first of the year, I have been making the rounds of township board meetings to introduce myself to the many newly elected officials and to discuss our common concerns relating to roads and bridges in Genesee County.
One question I have encountered in nearly every meeting is also the same one reflected in the comments of letter writer Denise Smith of Flint Township ["Letter writer: West Maple Avenue needs repairs," Your Letters, April 3]. She states that "It would be very, very much appreciated if the Road Commission and the federal government would spend the stimulus money where it is needed much more by considering road repairs to West Maple Avenue."
While I cannot argue that West Maple Avenue, like many local roads, is not in need of maintenance, I would like to make two points. First, it is important to understand that restrictions in the federal stimulus legislation limit stimulus funding to federal-aid-eligible roads only, meaning that the section of Maple Avenue in question, and all county local roads, are not eligible for stimulus funding. Nor are maintenance activities eligible -- on any road. And secondly, the Michigan Transportation Fund, which is the funding source for maintenance activities on county local roads, is increasingly inadequate to the task, decreasing another 4.77 percent this year.
The stimulus funding does not have as its principal goal the execution of an infrastructure repair program. Rather, it is a jobs-creation program. Its main goal is to get people working and do so as quickly as possible. And while there are many components to the legislation, for transportation projects speed meant using the federal aid funding procedures already in place, with their efficiencies and restrictions. One restriction is that only federal-aid-eligible roads qualify for funding. This means only county primary roads and city major streets. The section of Maple Avenue in question is a county local road and therefore not eligible for stimulus funding. Additionally, maintenance activities on any road are ineligible.
The MTF, from which all road agencies in Michigan receive money for road maintenance activities, will be decreased by 4.88 percent from 2008-2009 fiscal year level -- which was itself down nearly 4 percent from 2007. This means that the Road Commission will have $1 million less to spend on road maintenance in 2009 than in 2008 -- and almost $2 million less than in 2007.
MTF revenues are decreasing annually while the roads crumble more every day. The good news is that there does seem to be some recognition of this in Lansing. But until the amount of funding for road maintenance is increased, road agencies will be forced to prioritize routine services to local roads, choosing among the various necessary activities based upon ensuring the safety of the public.
The bottom line is that the stimulus money, while definitely a shot in the arm, amounts to only about one year's federal aid allocation and will not have a significant impact on the primary roads in Genesee County. And it will unfortunately have no impact on the maintenance of the local roads, including West Maple Avenue, that are not eligible for funding. In fact, until funding for road maintenance is increased to the point that road agencies have adequate resources to perform needed maintenance, we can and should expect to see continual deterioration of roads in Michigan.
John Daly manager-director Genesee County Road Commission
LANSING - Michigan's 120,000 miles of roads will continue to worsen if the state cannot find the money to sustain and enhance their infrastructure soon, experts say.
Since the 1960s, Michigan has been among the bottom 10 states in state and local transportation funding, said Kirk Steudle, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) director.
He cites a major decline in the primary funding sources for transportation: state gas taxes and vehicle registration fees.
Revenue from both is declining, Steudle said, because motorists are purchasing fewer new vehicles and the gas tax has been the same since 1997 - 19 cents per gallon.
But Oakland and Genesee counties road officials, industry groups and a West Michigan business owner disagree on how to best maintain Michigan roads.
The Legislature and Granholm administration are considering a variety of proposals and options to get additional money to maintain and enhance roads.
In 1996, approximately 64 percent of state highways were rated in good condition, Steudle said, and that figure rose to 90 percent in 2007.
But Steudle warned that 2010 could be the last year Michigan will be able to fully match federal funding.
If that happens, by 2014 the number of Michigan aging roads and bridges will drop to around 64 percent because they continue to carry traffic volumes which are higher than in all but eight other states, he said.
Robert Slattery Jr., director of information systems and planning for the Genesee County Road Commission, said Michigan roads handle at least two times the weight limit of other states in the nation.
"The roads will continue to get worse and worse until we get adequate funding in transportation," Slattery said.
In his opinion, lax weight limit restrictions and environmental factors - sudden warming and freezing during the winter - that Michigan roads face are a recipe for disaster because commuters are beating up roadways while government is underfunding their maintenance.
Roads have been underfunded for at least the last 40 years, Slattery said, and Michigan has never ranked higher than 40 out of the 50 states for per-capita expenditures on transportation infrastructure. Currently, Michigan ranks 45.
"We surely have roads that people cannot get around on," Slattery said about road conditions' potential effects on tourism.
He said increasing the gas tax would be the fairest way to fund maintenance in the near future because "people who drive Michigan's roads more should pay more."
As hybrids and electric vehicles become more popular, it may cause the government to think differently about funding roads, Slattery said, but until then a gas tax increase "is a short-term solution for alleviating the situation."
Higher gas taxes could decrease fuel consumption, he said, encouraging conservation of resources and forcing manufacturers to develop more alternative fuels and vehicles.
"Gas prices fluctuate so much that a 10- or 20-cent gas tax increase would be almost forgotten overnight," Slattery said.
Keith Ledbetter, director of legislative affairs for the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, said based on overall performance, Michigan's road system is the eighth-worst in the nation and has the fourth-worst rural interstate and eighth-worst urban interstate conditions.
He said there were 11,499 miles of roads rated in "poor" condition in 2004 and the number increased by about 88 percent - approximately 21,617 miles - in 2007.
If that trend continues, nearly 45 percent of all roads will be in poor conditions by 2018, Ledbetter said.
Federal infrastructure aid is allocated in part on the basis of road quality. He projected Michigan will be short $102 million and will be unable to receive the federal aid beyond 2011 based on cuts in the state transportation budget.
If that happens, Ledbetter said, it would cost the state $576 million a year, totaling about $2 billion in federal aid by 2014.
He said the federal stimulus money - $845 million spread over two years - "would be a small drop in the bucket" compared to the needs.
Michigan's present spending of $3 billion a year, Craig Bryson of the Oakland County Road Commission said, is just enough to maintain current conditions.
And the Transportation Funding Task Force said the state needs to at least double traditional funding to improve infrastructure.
"We must increase investment in transportation soon or we will put past investment at risk, and the infrastructure and transportation service on which we rely will deteriorate," its 2007 report concluded.
Bryson said the state must do something with registration fees and gas taxes for "at least the next decade or so" until it can pursue other options.
He proposed ways to help local governments raise money for roads, including locally controlled sales taxes, vehicle registration fees, gas and diesel taxes, property transfer fee taxes and driver's license fees.
Bryson proposed a "private investment infrastructure funding" program to allow the initial money for enhancement of roads from private investors to be repaid from higher property tax revenue.
"The goal is to give communities choices," Bryson said. "In a sense, they are another tool for the toolbox."
Mark Griffin, president of the Michigan Petroleum Association/Michigan Association of Convenience Stores, said raising gas prices should be the last resort in a declining economy, not the first, and could harm the economy.
As an example, Griffin said someone who typically buys 20 gallons at about $2 a gallon would normally spend $40, but a 30-cent tax hike would cost an extra $6 for the fill-up.
While the difference isn't huge, it could mean less spending elsewhere, Griffin said.
He said most of consumers want the roads fixed but don't want the state making gas more expensive.
Griffin suggested alternatives, such as increasing the number of toll roads to generate more revenue and replacing the motor tax with a higher sales tax.
He said raising the sales tax by 1 percent and eliminating the gas tax would allow for lower fuel prices and generate more revenue because it would cover a wider variety of goods and services.
Craig Hoppen, president of J & H Oil Co. which owns 34 gas stations in West Michigan, including stations in Holland, Hamilton, Caledonia and Grand Rapids, agreed with eliminating the gas tax and increasing the general sales tax.
The company is headquartered in Wyoming, Mich.
Because consumption of gas and diesel fuels has dropped four years in a row, taxing a declining commodity is bad business, he said.
"You can't pick one commodity and expect it to be a lifeline," Hoppen said. "A revenue generator of the future needs to be found."
