How're the ROADS Near You?!

[DetroitPole]

Here is the thing:

We have about as many people in Metro Detroit as we did in 1980.

We have way, way, way more roads in Metro Detroit than we did in 1980.

This is what happens when we sprawl out to nowhere.

There IS no fix. There IS no hope. The roads are fucked and the state is fucked. Give me a little time to save some cash and like the rest of my generation I'll leave the rest of you to dodge potholes in this unchanging hell for greener pastures.

[DetroitPlanner]

We have about as many people in Metro Detroit as we did in 1980.

We have way, way, way more roads in Metro Detroit than we did in 1980.

Actually when it comes to major roads we don't have that many more, but we have made them wider which means that when it comes to fixing them they will cost more. Most of the local roads built in the last 20 years are privately owned and controlled by the subdivision/condo associations.

What else is true is that we don't have that much more money to fix those roads than we had in 1980. Add to that inflation and its a scary thought. People are probably paying half of what they did in terms of a percentage of thier income for gasoline taxes and plates than they did back then. Yet folks expectations have grown. These dollars are used to fund transit capital and operating, bicycle paths, docks for cruise ships, all sorts of stuff. Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in with our roads? Is it any wonder we have so many issues with funding light rail?

[milesdriven]

Sorry, I don't buy that one. Drive through Ohio or Indiana. The weather is the same, the roads are better.

Although Ohio and Indiana's interstates may be in better shape, the state, county, and local roads are in as bad or worse shape than Michigan's. Wisconsin, which is on the same latitude as Michigan, is deplorable. Although this is purely anecdotal, I do drive about 2000 miles/week around the midwest.

[George Cassidy]

If you have a verifiable pothole damage claim, NYC will reimburse you. Does Detroit have a similar program?

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Anywhere down Merriman between Michigan and Plymouth road is a obstacle course. I drive a Ford Ranger pickup and that street literally had that little truck hopping and flopping from side to side like nobody's business.

[EL Jimbo]

Actually when it comes to major roads we don't have that many more, but we have made them wider which means that when it comes to fixing them they will cost more. Most of the local roads built in the last 20 years are privately owned and controlled by the subdivision/condo associations.

What else is true is that we don't have that much more money to fix those roads than we had in 1980. Add to that inflation and its a scary thought. People are probably paying half of what they did in terms of a percentage of thier income for gasoline taxes and plates than they did back then. Yet folks expectations have grown. These dollars are used to fund transit capital and operating, bicycle paths, docks for cruise ships, all sorts of stuff. Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in with our roads? Is it any wonder we have so many issues with funding light rail?

The amount of money dropped into the transit programs, multi-modal, and non-motorized programs you speak if is smaller than a drop in the bucket. For example, the $22 million ferry terminal would MAYBE have been enough to reconstruct one mile of major expressway in Metro Detroit.

Also, like it or not, Metro Detroit has series capacity and demand issues that eventually need to be addressed. We are stuck with 3 choices.

1. Spend an incredible fortune to continue expanding our existing freeway network,

2. Invest in a comprehensive transit network that takes some of the pressure off of demand on the road network.

3. Try something radical like my "turn freeways into boulevards in order to spread the traffic more evenly". idea.

Trying to make transit the bad guy on this is silly and uninformed.

[Whitehouse]

I hope Detroit is not as bad as this lot...

[DetroitPlanner]

The amount of money dropped into the transit programs, multi-modal, and non-motorized programs you speak if is smaller than a drop in the bucket. For example, the $22 million ferry terminal would MAYBE have been enough to reconstruct one mile of major expressway in Metro Detroit.

Also, like it or not, Metro Detroit has series capacity and demand issues that eventually need to be addressed. We are stuck with 3 choices.

1. Spend an incredible fortune to continue expanding our existing freeway network,

2. Invest in a comprehensive transit network that takes some of the pressure off of demand on the road network.

3. Try something radical like my "turn freeways into boulevards in order to spread the traffic more evenly". idea.

Trying to make transit the bad guy on this is silly and uninformed.

I am not trying to make anyone the bad guy here. Except for maybe inflation and our inablity to elect leaders who realize that we can't use 1980 dollars to fund a modern transportation network. We have greater needs than dollars. Our funding mechanisms are antiquated hence we get the transportation system we pay for. Each time we dip into it to fund a pet project means less money available to fix a road or to buy buses.