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On this week\u2019s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Kari Martin, MDOT\u2019s University Region planner and project manager on the tolling study requested in 2020 legislation. Also joining the conversation is Eric Morris, Michigan office lead for HNTB, the transportation consultant selected to complete the study.\xa0

Martin and Morris explain the process and why the Legislature is looking at extending the study until the end of this year, as reported in Crain\u2019s Detroit Business last week (subscription).\xa0

Echoing comments from Reason Foundation\u2019s Baruch Feigenbaum on a previous podcast, Martin and Morris talk about how the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) will further reduce the already inadequate transportation revenue obtained through the motor fuel tax. EVs essentially do not pay for the roads they drive on.\xa0

Advocates observe that by moving to a more sustainable revenue source, everyone pays their fair share and it provides an opportunity to prepare Michigan's interstate and highway system for future smart infrastructure networks. These innovations offer the prospect of a transport infrastructure system that suffers less congestion, is safer, and can be maintained predictively.\xa0

Other relevant links:\xa0

A 2019 Epic-MRA poll of Michigan voter views on tolling.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Fees_EpicPoll_669728_7.pdf\xa0 \xa0\xa0

Some things the study will cover, including managed lanes and how they work. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/managelanes_primer/\xa0 \xa0

Why Michigan doesn\u2019t have tolling. Some history.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Toll_Roads_Brochure_548788_7.pdf\xa0

Photo: Eric Morris, Michigan office lead for HNTB. Photo courtesy of HNTB.