Transportation & Roads

Lawmakers move to regulate Uber statewide

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By CHEYNA ROTH
Capital News Service
LANSING – Who should be in charge of regulating Uber, the app-based network of independent taxi drivers that’s operating in cities across Michigan? A state representative thinks the legislature should make the rules to provide consistent statewide regulation. But local governments that have already negotiated regulations with Uber and traditional taxi companies think the state should mind its own business. Uber is an entrepreneurial taxi service that connects people in need of a ride with approved drivers through a mobile app. An Uber driver can be anyone over 21 who has signed up, passed a background check, and owns a reliable vehicle with insurance.

Environment

Money coming to help erase winter’s damage in Northern Michigan

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By IAN K. KULLGREN
Capital News Service
LANSING — As winter approaches, the Michigan Economic Development Corp.(MEDC) is pouring an additional $1.6 million into the effort to assist communities still reeling from damages sustained during last year’s deep freeze, bringing the total to $7.6 million. The funds will partially reimburse more than 30 communities in the northern Lower and Upper peninsulas for repairing damaged roads and water mains, and to wrap up construction before the cold weather sets in. “It’s really the first time we’ve seen that scale,” said Lisa Pung, manager of the MEDC community assistance team. “There are some projects that are being addressed now and some that will have to extend into the winter and spring seasons.”

Marquette, for example, had 700 water main breaks last year at a cost of $1.7 million. The city received nearly $500,000 to mitigate infrastructure costs, in addition to $3,400 to Marquette County.

Transportation & Roads

First the Arctic vortex, then the thaw, now potholes

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By ASHLEY WEIGEL
Capital News Service
LANSING — While most of the immediate effects of the Arctic vortex storm have passed, potholes may continue to appear for many weeks. The thaw following the storm has created jagged potholes across many main roads in Michigan. This is common, as the freezing and thawing of pavement causes this to happen every year. Potholes are no small matter. The Michigan Department of Transportation spent $8.2 million in the 2009 fiscal year on pothole repairs alone, and the number of potholes this year is steadily increasing.

Transportation & Roads

Bicycling deaths drop, safety urged

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – The number of Michigan’s bicyclist deaths dropped 17 percent between 2011 and last year. Meanwhile, cycling groups continue to advocate more safety measures. Fatalities are down from 24 in 2011 to 20 in 2012, according to the Office of Highway Safety Planning. One fatal bicycling crash occurred in Holland and four in Grand Rapids between 2004 and 2011, Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Josh DeBruyn said. Overall, 788 crashes involving bicyclists were reported between 2004 and 2011 in Ottawa and Allegan counties, and 1,487 crashes in Kent County.

Transportation & Roads

As road money declines, salt, labor cost more

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By SILU GUO
Capital News Service
LANSING – State and local transportation agencies face a steady decrease in road funding and an increase in costs, and no short-term solution is likely. “We are at a critical point,” said Bob Felt of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Communications. “We may not have enough state funding.”
According to MDOT, state level transportation funding has been decreasing for the past 10 years and will continue to drop until 2015. “It peaked in 2004 and kept declining after that,” Felt said. Receipts from gasoline taxes, diesel taxes, vehicle registration fees and other revenues are the main sources of the state’s transportation funding, had fallen to less than $1.86 billion in fiscal year 2012.

Business & Economy

Truck ID enforcement raises farmer, business concerns

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By SAODAT ASANOVA-TAYLOR
Capital News Service
LANSING – The move by the State Police to force commercial vehicles to obtain U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) identification numbers is under fire from some Michigan farmers and small businesses. The federal regulation applies to pickups, vans and trailers that carry equipment and supplies if the vehicle weighs more than 10,001 pounds. Matt Smego, legislative counsel for the Michigan Farm Bureau, said the problem is not obtaining an ID number but complying with the additional regulations and inspections that comes with it. “By having this number, the pickups or trailers may be subjected to inspections that last for up to four hours. This timing is critical for many to run their business and provide jobs,” he said.

Business & Economy

Debate continues about road commissions' future

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By PATRICK HOWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING – Critics are still questioning a new law that allows a county’s board of commissioners to abolish and undertake road commission duties. While understanding the intentions of the legislation – to consolidate local government entities while saving money – skeptics say they are unsure whether the measure will actually alleviate costs. According to John Niemela, director of the County Road Association of Michigan, there is little to no evidence that consolidation would save taxpayer dollars. “Road commission administrative expenses are very low,” Niemela said. “The bulk of a road commission’s funding is directed toward static expenses such as road materials, road maintenance and road improvement projects.

Government

Southeast Michigan Transit Authority proposed — for the 24th time

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By PATRICK LYONS
Capital News Service
LANSING – Legislators are working to create an authority to oversee the development and operation of public transit in four Southeast Michigan counties. The legislation by Rep. Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak, would create the Southeast Michigan Transit Authority. The authority would oversee all mass transit service in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Washtenaw counties, including Detroit. Townsend said that the goal is to unite Southeast Michigan and improve the economy in the process. “It is one regional economy,” Townsend said.