Lansing, Michigan – Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026 includes the biggest investment in the state’s transportation infrastructure ever, with a clear focus on fixing both state and local roads. The bipartisan plan guarantees about $2 billion a year for a long time to improve roads, bridges, and public transit networks. This is a big step toward making driving safer and shorter for everyone in the state.
Whitmer emphasized that this historic deal fulfills a central campaign promise.
“I ran on fixing the damn roads, and I’m proud to keep my promise and get it done,” said Governor Whitmer.
“This year’s balanced, bipartisan budget makes a record, nearly $2 billion annual investment to fix our state and local roads, which will make everyone’s drive safer and faster. We’re getting this done by ensuring every penny you pay at the pump goes towards our roads. I’m so grateful to legislators on both sides of the aisle for coming together to get this done so we can build reliable roads that last for decades while supporting tens of thousands of good-paying local jobs. We have a lot of work to do, so let’s move some dirt and fix those damn roads!”
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Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II echoed that message, calling the plan a defining achievement in the administration’s effort to make daily life easier for residents.
“Our number one job is to make Michiganders’ lives easier,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Our seventh balanced, bipartisan budget delivers by making the largest investment to fix our roads in Michigan history.
Lawmakers from both parties backed the bills that made the initiative possible. These were House Bills 4180 through 4183, 4951, 4961, and Senate Bill 578. Speaker Matt Hall of Richland Township said that the budget was good since it changed how money was spent and sent all gas tax money straight to road repairs.
“Our plan finally ensures every penny you pay at the pump goes to road funding, something people have demanded for years. And it sends that money to the local roads and bridges in our neighborhoods, instead of just state highways. Those reforms will make our roads smoother and make life better for the people of Michigan,” Hall said.
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Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks of Grand Rapids highlighted the bipartisan nature of the deal, noting that it proves what can be accomplished even in politically divided times.
“The result: a bipartisan budget that fixes our roads, strengthens public schools, protects health care access, and insulates us from some of the toughest federal cuts. Michiganders and their communities stand to benefit both immediately and into the future because of groundwork we are laying today,” Brinks said.
Starting in 2026, a shift between sales and motor fuel taxes will bring in about $1 billion a year. This will make sure that all pump taxes go directly to road development without raising expenses for drivers. Additional money comes from marijuana tax revenues ($420 million) and a move from individual to corporate income taxes ($600 million) to make sure that transportation infrastructure gets long-term support.
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The proposal sets aside $100 million for fixing bridges, $100 million for improving public transportation, and $40 million for projects that separate rail grades. Since Whitmer became governor, Michigan has fixed more than 24,500 lane miles of road and 1,900 bridges, creating more than 188,000 jobs. The FY26 budget will speed up those efforts, keeping the state’s long-standing vow to “fix the damn roads” once and for all.