Believe in Michigan: Focus on Infrastructure 

by | Jan 20, 2022 | Regional News

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2022

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Believe in Michigan: Focus on Infrastructure

Michiganders celebrate why they believe in Michigan through video series leading up to Governor Whitmer’s State of the State address

 

LANSING, Mich. – Leading up to the Governor’s State of the State address, Gov. Whitmer’s team set out to hear from Michiganders across the state on why they believe in Michigan. We’ll share their thoughts each day leading up to the address in a video series.

 

“Continuing Michigan’s partnership around critical infrastructure projects like the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a key trade corridor between Michigan and Canada that has already supported 2,500 good-paying jobs for Michiganders, is key to our state’s economic success,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am proud of the work being done by Nickolai and all of the men and women in the trades who are working hard to build safe, reliable roads and bridges with the right mix and materials. Since I took office, Michigan has invested $6.4 billion to repair, rehabilitate, or replace 13,198 lane miles of road and 903 bridges, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs, and we will keep going together.”

 

 Nickolai Miotto

 

“We have an infrastructure bill that’s going to provide funding for roads, bridges, airports, and clean energy,” said Nickolai Miotto, Operating Engineer with Local 324, working on the Gordie Howe Bridge and I-75 interchange for Bridging North America.  “My brothers and sisters in the trades will have prominent work in the near future and beyond.

 

When asked why he believes in Michigan, Miottoa added, “We have the great lakes, freighters, the biggest trucks in the county. And we do everything great in MI, we’re the state who put the world on wheels.  I’m standing here on the biggest infrastructure project in North America and Michiganders are going to build it. I love Michigan. That’s all there is to it.”

 

Governor Whitmer’s Focus on Infrastructure

 

Governor Whitmer is rebuilding Michigan’s roads and bridges and creating tens of thousands of good-paying construction jobs. She launched the Rebuilding Michigan Plan, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges without an increase at the pump. Over 20 projects supporting 22,800 good-paying construction jobs are already underway. She secured funding to repair or replace nearly 100 local bridges in the latest bipartisan budget.

 

The cones and barrels at hundreds of sites statewide demonstrate that Governor Whitmer is fixing our crumbling roads and bridges so that people can go to work and get home safely, parents can drive their kids to school without blowing an axle, and businesses can get their goods where they need to go.

 

  • Governor Whitmer has invested nearly $6.4 billion to repair, replace, or rehabilitate 13,198 lane miles of road and 903 bridges.
  • In this year’s bipartisan budget, she invested $196 million to repair or replace nearly 100 local bridges in serious or critical condition, creating 2,500 jobs.
  • Governor Whitmer’s five-year, $3.5 billion Rebuilding Michigan bond plan to build up state highways and bridges without an increase at the pump is underway is underway, with construction underway on I-496, I-94, and other projects. These projects are supporting approximately 22,800 construction jobs and an additional 21,700 jobs in other industries.