MARQUETTE — Michigan’s infrastructure will see upgrades because of funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the budget Monday. It focuses on growing the economy, lowering costs, delivering on kitchen-table issues and helping anyone “Make it in Michigan.”

“Michiganders deserve safe, reliable infrastructure from the roads they drive on to the pipes they get their water from,” Whitmer said in a press release. “Since I took office, we have made record progress fixing the damn roads and upgrading all kinds of water infrastructure. This budget will build on our historic efforts, repairing bridges, installing chargers, replacing lead pipes and so much more. Let’s keep working together to invest in infrastructure so every community can ‘Make it in Michigan.'”

Since taking office and through the end of this year’s construction season, Michigan will fix nearly 20,000 lane miles of road and over 1,400 bridges, supporting 118,000 good-paying jobs.

“This budget will move a heck of a lot of dirt, create a heck of a lot of jobs, and make a heck of a difference for hard-working people and their families,” said Utility Workers of America Executive Vice President Pat Dillion in a press release. “From saving the Palisades (nuclear power) plant to making record investments in economic development, housing, community revitalization projects, roads and pipes, this budget will create powerful economic opportunities for our members and hard-working Michiganders in every region of the state. We are grateful for this common sense, balanced budget that delivers on so many key priorities, grows the economy and helps anyone ‘Make it in Michigan.'”

Fiscal Year 2024 infrastructure investments include:

Roads:

≤ $416 million to fix roads and build up public infrastructure, improving quality of life.

≤ $80 million for a local bridge-bundling program to help local governments fix more than 20 bridges, reconnecting communities across the state.

≤ $6.6 million to speed up the permitting process, helping build all kinds of infrastructure faster and power economic development.

Water:

≤ Nearly $600 million for water infrastructure across Michigan, helping replace thousands of lead service lines, rebuild sewers and more.

≤ $20 million for contaminated site cleanup, protecting communities from impacts of former industrial sites.

Transit:

≤ $70 million to improve transit access, helping Michiganders get around more safely, quickly and comfortably.

≤ $45 million for local bus operations, supporting affordable transportation options.

≤ $3.5 million for shared streets and spaces, helping cities and transit agencies create options for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Electrification and clean energy:

≤ $150 million to reopen the Palisades plant.

≤ $125 million to purchase electric school buses, improving air quality and reducing road noise.

≤ $50 million for the MI Healthy Schools program, improving air and water quality in schools.

≤ $43 million for grid resiliency, reducing power outages during extreme weather events.

≤ $30 million for renewable-ready communities, helping local governments install renewable energy at scale.

≤ $21.3 million for electric vehicle and renewable energy charging infrastructure.

≤ $5 million for Lake Michigan EV Circuit to build the best electrified road trip in the continent along Lake Michigan, spurring the tourism economy.

≤ $5 million for a battery recycling research hub, providing cutting-edge research in the mobility and electrification sector.

The Fiscal Year 2024 budget will fix dozens of bridges, install electric vehicle chargers and replace thousands of lead service lines. According to the press release, the budget also makes investments to help keep the lights on during storms by upgrading the grid, help local governments install chargers so residents can find electric vehicle charging options in their towns and shore up bus, rail and other transit systems.