LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Flint’s water crisis and a sinkhole in suburban Detroit have exposed flaws in aging underground pipes that mostly are out of sight, out of mind for the public.
But a major influx of money for infrastructure upgrades is unlikely to be approved anytime soon, despite Republican Gov. Rick Snyder warning lawmakers that “every corner” of Michigan is at risk.
He says all public and private revenue sources should be considered. But the GOP-led Legislature is unlikely to support higher taxes or fees, more than a year after it increased fuel and vehicle registration taxes in a road-funding plan.
For now, Snyder is focused on a process called asset management.
The assessment and prioritization of projects is commonplace in the road industry, but less so for water and sewer systems.
