Lawmakers inviting Washtenaw County residents to town hall meeting to talk transportation

Reps. David Rutledge, D-Superior Township, Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township, and Rick Olson, R-York Township, are co-hosting the event.

Joining them will be representatives from the Washtenaw County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

According to Rutledge's office, the forum will give residents an opportunity to ask local transportation experts questions regarding funding for roads and how the state is addressing the need for revenue to improve Michigan's aging infrastructure.

Big talks are happening around transportation at the state level and several pieces of legislation are pending, including legislation that would create a regional transit authority for Southeast Michigan. Other bills call for increases in the state's gas tax and vehicle registration fees in an effort to raise $1.4 billion needed to properly maintain the state's roads and bridges.

Olson told AnnArbor.com last week he hopes the Legislature takes action by this summer on the two major funding bills or else the state will pay more in the long run as roads and bridges further deteriorate and cross over from fair to poor condition.

Olson, author of a bipartisan House workgroup report on Michigan's road crisis, said another 2 percent of the state's freeways have fallen into poor condition since his group's report was released in September, and that means they need more costly structural improvements now.

"I do like the tone of the discussions and I'm hopeful we can get somewhere," Olson said of talks happening in Lansing this past month.

In addition to Monday night's town hall, Irwin announced he will hold his next coffee hour from 9-10 a.m. this Saturday at Espresso Royale, 214 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor.

State Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, also will hold her next coffee hour at the same Espresso Royale from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday.