Toll roads in Michigan? Study shows where they might work Report says all or parts of 6 interstates, a M-designated route could be converted in 5-7 years

DAVID EGGERT

LANSING — About 60 percent of Michigan’s 1,900-mile highway system is most feasible for tolling, including 545 miles of roadways that could be converted within ve to seven years — all or parts of six interstates and one M-designated route.

at is a conclusion in a feasibility analysis and implementation plan that were commissioned by the state Department of Transportation in accordance with a 2020 law.

HNTB Corp., which led the studies, found that assessing tolls on existing highways — electronically every other exit — could help address road- and bridge-funding needs in the middle and long terms as pavement conditions are expected to worsen and gasoline tax revenues are likely to decline due to more fuel-e cient vehicles and the transition to electric vehicles.

HNTB, which was aided by seven other consulting rms, presented the ndings during a Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing last Tuesday. Tolling would require approval from the governor and legislators, a politically di cult move.

e consultants used 21 criteria to review the feasibility of assessing mileage-based tolls on all 1,922 miles of limited-access highways. Of the 31 routes, 17 were screened out, partly to avoid a ecting low-income communities and to have self-supporting toll roads.

e 14 remaining corridors, encompassing 1,156 miles, were broken into three tiers based on their readiness for tolling: ve to seven years for 545 miles, seven to 14 years for 232 miles and 15 or more years for 379 miles.

Tier 1, the nearer-term scenario that is based on tolls starting in 2028, includes:

 All of Interstate 275 in metro Detroit.

 All of I-696.

 I-75 between the Ohio border and

I-275 south of Detroit, and between I-695 north of Saginaw and U.S. 127 north of Higgins Lake.

 I-94 between the Indiana border and U.S. 24 in Detroit.

 I-69 between Marshall and Flint.

 I-196 between I-94 north of St. Joseph and M-6 southwest of Grand Rapids.

 M-14 between I-94 southwest of Ann Arbor and the M-14/U.S. 23 split north of Ann Arbor.

Such a system would generate $1.3 billion in revenue annually by 2032 if the tolling rate was 6 cents a mile for passenger cars and 24 cents per mile for commercial trucks. e current transportation budget is $6.1 billion.

“Tolling could diversify revenue sources for transportation in the state of Michigan and free up existing sourc- es of revenue at federal and state levels for other bridge and road projects not on these 545 miles, but will require a careful and considerate approach to implementation,” Eric Morris, HNTB senior vice president and Michigan ofce leader, told senators.

Creating tolls for existing roads, he said, “is a novel concept” and “not common in the industry.”

Tier 2, the seven- to 14-year timeline, includes:

 I-94 between M-59 north of Detroit and the I-69/I-94 split near Port Huron;

 I-75 between I-475 north of Flint and I-675 north of Saginaw;

 U.S. 23 between I-94 southeast of Ann Arbor and I-96 near Brighton; and

 I-96 between U.S. 127 southeast of Lansing and the I-96/I-275/I-696/M-5 interchange, and between U.S. 31 near Muskegon and the I-69/I-96 split near Lansing.

Tier 3, the 15-year-or-beyond option, includes: e consultants interviewed business, tourism and economic development groups along with logistics providers. e feedback was used when considering where and how tolling could take e ect.

 I-75 between I-275 south of Detroit and I-96 in Detroit, and between I-696 near Detroit and M-59 near Detroit.

 U.S. 23 between the Ohio border and I-94, and between I-96 and the I-75 split southwest of Flint.

 I-69 between the Indiana border and I-94 near Marshall, and between I-75 near Flint and the I-69/I-94 split near Port Huron.

 I-96 between the southern I-69/I-96 split near Lansing and I-496/U.S. 127 southeast of Lansing.

 U.S. 131 between I-96 in Grand Rapids and north of Cadillac.

 M-6 near Grand Rapids.

 M-14 between the split with U.S. 23 northeast of Ann Arbor and the I-96/I-275 interchange.

 M-59 between Huron Street near downtown Pontiac and Van Dyke Avenue in Utica.

Unlike nearby states such as Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, Michigan does not have toll roads.

Business associations, including chambers of commerce, saw the value in having a stable revenue source but also expressed concern about double taxation and new fees. ey suggested rebate programs, including for low-income drivers.

Logistics organizations said they face challenges like congestion, wear and tear, and travel time reliability that could improve with tolling. But they also face rapidly increasing business costs.

Responses were mixed on the tourism impact. Groups had minimal concerns about the e ect on in-state travel but noted it could deter out-of-state tourists. ey expected medium- and long-term tourism recovery, though, from improved roads and driving experience.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, when asked last month about the draft studies and whether tolling should be considered, said: “We’re looking at everything.”

She launched a bonding program in 2020 but said the state has “yet to address the long-term funding issues. So perhaps that’s a part of the long-term solution. ... It might make sense in certain arteries and not others.”

Contact: david.eggert@crain.com; (313) 446-1654; @DavidEggert00