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102nd Legislature, Week 4: MDOT Testimony, Fiscal Agency Budget Presentations

— #MILegTransit

MDOT Testimony

On Tuesday, January 31st and Wednesday, February 1st, respectively, the Senate and House transportation policy committees heard a presentation on bus, rail, and non-motorized transportation in Michigan from Laura Mester and Gregg Brunner of MDOT .

Transportation funding flowchart for Public Act 51 including state, county, city, and local funding recipients

“This is our Transportation Spaghetti Chart” — MDOT Michigan Senate Testimony, 2023

There are 697 categories to which Act 51 formula money is distributed.

Non-Motorized Transportation: 60 miles of bicycle lanes, 3,175 miles of paved shoulders, 3 signed bicycle routes 78 transit agencies, 30 million passenger trips in 2021, 5 contracted intercity bus routes Rail transport: 3 intercity Amtrak routes, 598,474 riders in fiscal year 2022 MDOT employees presenting to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the Boji Tower Hearing Room
My thoughts 👋

A correction to my original Twitter coverage from this week: The public is allowed to attend committee meetings and can express support of or opposition to a bill without rising to speak by way of submitting a comment card . Generally, this is done on behalf of an advocacy group or organization with which the individual is affiliated. Those wishing to attend simply check in with staff / MSP and receive a visitor sticker (HOB) or visitor badge and lanyard (Binsfield).

Note, however, that security measures are expected to tighten starting fall 2023 following the passage of expanded gun safety legislation.

Gongwer provided additional coverage of MDOT's presentation to the Senate.

Fiscal Agency Budget Presentations

On Wednesday, February 1st, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation met for the first time. Bill Hamilton, House Fiscal Agency analyst, presented the transportation budget for FY2023 . Governor Whitmer will formally present this budget on February 8th. $653.8M (10.7%) of the current transportation budget goes to public transportation programs including 78 transit agencies across the state, Amtrak, paratransit services, and the Wayne County Port Authority.

The FY23-24 Transportation budget recommendation will be presented during the subcommittee meeting on February 15th. There will be no meeting next week due to the presentation of the current state budget.

Transportation is about 8% of the state's total $76.8 billion budget. Public transportation program funding is 11% of the $6.1 billion transportation budget.