Michigan roads are improving.
The Reason Foundation’s 28th Annual Highway Reports ranks Michigan 23rd in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, four spots higher than a year ago.
The ranking continues a steady move up the rankings over the past several years, climbing from 34th in 2020. It comes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer initially promised to “fix the damn roads” during her 2018 campaign for governor.
The report ranks each state on road and bridge safety, pavement quality and on a cost-effectiveness metric.
The state ranks among the best in the country in administrative costs related to infrastructure. It’s third in the national rural fatality rate and 16th in rural pavement condition.
Michigan improved the most in fatality rate, going from 31st to 19th, urbanized area congestion from 35th to 26th and urban pavement conditions from 42nd to 33rd.
It fell from 20th to 33rd in capital-bridge disbursements.
Michigan’s highway performance ranks better than Wisconsin’s but behind Ohio and Indiana.
“In terms of improving in the road condition and performance categories, Michigan should focus on improving both rural and urban Interstate pavement conditions. The state ranks in the bottom 15 in both categories,” Bruce Feigenbaum, lead author of the report, said. “Reducing the percentage of structurally deficient bridges in the state should also be a priority, as the state ranks in the bottom 10 in this crucial safety category as well.”
