LANSING, Mich. — State Rep. Donni Steele, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Local Transportation, today announced that Michigan families will finally see sustained improvements to their roads and bridges following passage of the full state budget. The plan delivers nearly $2 billion in ongoing local road funding, from driveways to highways, and redirects wasteful spending to ensure taxpayer dollars are put to work where drivers can see the results.

“Fixing the roads cannot be a slogan. It must be a promise kept,” Steele said. “As chair, I fought to make sure every dollar people pay at the pump is used for the roads they actually drive. This budget delivers on that promise by dedicating real, ongoing funding to repair our roads and rebuild our bridges.”

The budget strengthens Michigan’s transportation network in three key ways:

• Sustained funding for local roads and bridges. Nearly $2 billion is now locked in for long-term improvements, ensuring communities see lasting repairs rather than one-time patches. This fix-it-first approach means dollars are directed to the roads families use every day, from driveways to highways.
• Cutting waste and redirecting dollars. By eliminating 2,000 phantom government jobs and scaling back bureaucratic growth, House Republicans freed up resources that can now be invested directly in infrastructure needs. Families pay enough at the pump, and this plan ensures those dollars are not wasted on bloated government accounts.
• Transparency and accountability. The budget requires full public reporting on road dollars and blocks the use of transportation funds for hidden earmarks or political carve-outs. Taxpayers will be able to see the receipts for how their money is spent.

Steele said the passage of the budget represents a major shift from years of stalled promises and misplaced priorities.

“Families should not have to budget for a new tire or rim every spring because Lansing failed to act,” Steele said. “This budget recognizes that roads are not optional. They are the arteries of our economy, our neighborhoods, and our safety. Every parent driving to school, every worker commuting to the job site, every truck carrying Michigan products will benefit from roads that last.”

Steele emphasized that as chairwoman she worked throughout the process to ensure roads and bridges were prioritized above politics.

“This budget proves that when we cut waste and focus on results, Michigan families win,” Steele said. “We put the money where it belongs. Families can trust that their hard-earned dollars are finally going into the roads beneath their tires.”

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State Rep. Donni Steele chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Local Transportation. Her priorities include public safety, fiscal responsibility, local control in education, and infrastructure that lasts.