Maximizing this historic opportunity requires a whole of government approach and the Michigan Infrastructure Office is uniquely positioned to lead this charge. Departments will need to work together to leverage as many federal dollars as possible. In some cases, that means direct interagency coordination to plan and execute opportunities. In other cases, departments can leverage the excellent work being done elsewhere in state government to make their grant applications more competitive. The Governor’s Office has a key role to play in setting priorities, facilitating collaboration, promoting transparency, and creating accountability to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget.

A robust stakeholder and community engagement process is critical in securing available BIL funding. In addition to a whole of government approach to secure federal resources, we look forward to the engagement of local, county, regional, economic development, and philanthropic organizations to help position Michigan to be as competitive as possible to rehabilitate, repair, and revitalize the state’s infrastructure. The Michigan Infrastructure Office will play a vital role in helping to coordinate these statewide efforts to better position state and local governments to be as competitive as possible for discretionary funding.

Since day one, the governor has been laser-focused on building more resilient infrastructure, with the right mix of materials, to create good-paying jobs and support local economies and small businesses. Through the Rebuilding Michigan plan, and other investments, Michigan has repaired, rebuilt, or rehabilitated over 13,000 lane miles of roads and over 900 bridges, supporting nearly 82,000 good-paying jobs.

Governor Whitmer's five-year, $3.5 billion Rebuilding Michigan plan to build up state highways and bridges without an increase at the pump has invested in 46 big projects including I-69 in St. Clair County; I-496 west of Lansing; I-196 near Saugatuck; and I-94 and U.S. 31 in Berrien County. These projects are supporting approximately 22,800 construction jobs and an additional 21,700 jobs in other industries.

• The FY2022 budget signed last year, invested nearly $196 million to repair or replace nearly 100 local bridges in serious or critical condition, creating thousands more jobs.
• The FY 2023 budget is the largest infrastructure budget in Michigan history. It includes $6.3 billion for state and local roads, bridges, airports, transit, and rail programs.

In 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Building Michigan Together plan into law, which will invest nearly $5 billion in bipartisan investments to benefit residents by growing the economy, improving infrastructure, supporting jobs, and investing in every region of the state. The plan will make significant investments in affordable, attainable housing and expand access to reliable high-speed internet, building on progress achieved since Governor Whitmer took office.

“Every Michigander deserves an affordable, attainable place to call home and fast, reliable connection to high-speed internet. Both housing and high-speed internet form the foundation for economic success, and I am so proud that the Michigan Legislature and I were able to come together to invest in both through the Building Michigan Together Plan,” said Governor Whitmer. “This plan makes bold, bipartisan investments in the kitchen-table issues that matter most to Michigan families, including clean water, smooth roads, fast internet, and beautiful parks, and will set up Michigan’s economy for decades of success. It is a testament to what is possible when we put Michiganders first.”

“As a former computer engineer and software developer, I know how important access to high-speed internet can be for our communities,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “By expanding access to affordable, accessible high-speed internet, we can grow our economy, better educate our kids, and improve healthcare outcomes. The Building Michigan Together Plan is a historic step forward that will fund the Michigan High Speed Internet Office we established last year and help us connect tens of thousands of families and small businesses in communities across Michigan. Governor Whitmer and I will continue working hard to connect our communities and make a difference for Michiganders.”