The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is stirring the pot, hitting the gas on finding new ways to keep the state's roads and bridges in ship shape. They've rolled out a survey, running from Jan. 30 through March 1, to hear straight from the horse’s mouth – Michigan drivers themselves – on alternative road funding mechanisms. And they’re putting their money where their mouth is by offering a crisp $10 gift card to participants.
Hot on the heels of discontent over the sustainability of gas taxes, MDOT, in partnership with Via Transportation, Inc., is surveying public opinion on road usage charges as a potential new method for funding road maintenance. Charged per mile driven, this system could, according to MDOT, serve as a more equitable solution, especially for those who can't afford the luxury of a fuel-efficient vehicle, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
The survey is just the first leg of the journey, a nonpolitical and nonpartisan probe into the public's pulse on how they feel about road funding sans the gas tax. The survey, accessible at www.Michigan.gov/MIRoadCharge, asks Michiganders their thoughts on the matter and whether they'd be open to participating in a pilot demonstration slated for autumn. This could fetch them between $75 to $500 in incentives, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.
The nitty-gritty of this initiative funded by a federal grant, isn't lost in translation either. The MDOT offers the online survey in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese, ensuring the state's diverse population can have a say. They're also providing accommodations for those who need it, a move inclusive enough to make Uncle Sam proud. For those about to balk at the inbox trawling to find the promised gift card, it should be bobbing up within two weeks, dispatched from [email protected] straight to your e-mail.
