AASHTO Journal, 14 March 2014
The Michigan Department of Transportation is aiming to dispel some popular transportation and MDOT myths through a series of online videos and fact sheets addressing various rumors Michigan citizens may have heard. The pieces are part of MDOT’s new “Transportation Reality Check” campaign, which first addresses transportation investment and the use of salt on roadways during winter weather.
“There are many myths and rumors about transportation in Michigan, often repeated, that either aren’t quite true or are flat-out wrong,” said MDOT Director Kirk Steudle in a statement. “Getting these cleared up is an important step to having a logical and open discussion about the real problems facing Michigan’s transportation infrastructure.”
MDOT’s first myth to address was that of transportation investment, or the idea that “Michigan’s roads and bridges are not that bad, and there are plenty of other priorities.” In its two and a half minute video, MDOT acknowledges that while there are many priorities that need funding across the state, waiting to address the state’s aging transportation infrastructure will cost more money in the long run.
“A long-term funding solution is needed because as roads and bridges deteriorate, the cost to repair them increases greatly,” according to MDOT’s one-page fact sheet on the matter. “As it stands, state highways could be kept in good condition for about $10 billion over 10 years. If we wait 10 years, roads and bridges will need more extensive work, materials will be more expensive, and the overall cost rises to $26 billion.”
Along with this myth, MDOT discusses in another video changes it has made to be more efficient with the salt they have, but that weather (when the temperature drops below 10 degrees) and safety factors play a big role.
“Salt certainly is a valuable tool, but it’s not a cure-all for winter roads,” MDOT said in its one-page explanation on the matter. “Rising salt prices and decreased funding over the past decade prompted MDOT to implement new ‘sensible salting’ procedures. These include setting application guidelines for winter conditions, using weather stations to better target areas that will benefit most from salt, pre-wetting the salt so it sticks to the road and starts working faster, and slowing plow trucks to prevent it from bouncing and scattering off the roadway.”
Additional information on MDOT’s Transportation Reality Check is available here.