The House Transportation Committee this week unanimously approved state Rep. Rodney Wakeman’s bipartisan plan giving local governments more flexibility to fund necessary road repairs.

The Saginaw Township lawmaker’s plan, which has been separate from budget negotiations, maintains a commitment to repair Michigan’s infrastructure and would also alter the state’s road funding formula to give communities a better opportunity to work on roads from driveways to highways.

“The current formula stipulating that 75 percent of funding be spent on primary roads and 25 percent on local roads isn’t practical and puts many rural communities at a disadvantage when it comes to road repairs,” Wakeman said. “We should be prioritizing repairs for the roads that are in the worst condition – regardless of whether they’re heavy or light with traffic. My plan is part of a wide-ranging solution to our current road repair dilemma.”

Wakeman’s plan, House Bill 4965, would ensure that the state no longer constrains counties with certain spending requirements, and would also provide local governments with more flexibility in deciding how to spend road repair money and determining which roads get repaired.

“Saginaw County residents are reminded of the poor quality of local roads in our daily commutes,” Wakeman said. “Failing to remove unnecessary restrictions will only make the condition of our roads worsen and will continue to cost hard-working families more at the auto repair shop.”

The legislation would require local governments to submit their asset management plans – which include road condition data, an outline of performance goals and risk of road failure analysis – to a commission, which maintains proper oversight.

The legislation now advances to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.