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AAA Discontinues 'Road Condition Hotline' Following Gas Tax Passage

17 July 1997

AAA Discontinues 'Road Condition Hotline' Following Gas Tax Passage

    DEARBORN, Mich., July 17 -- Following a long and successful
campaign to publicize the need for repair of crumbling roads and bridges
across the state, AAA Michigan is discontinuing its popular "Road Condition
Hotline."
    "We tip our hat to the nearly 2,000 Michigan motorists who called the
toll-free hotline to identify the problem areas on the roads they travel.  And
we hail the hard working men and women at the Michigan Department of
Transportation and the county road commissions, who are laboring to repair the
problems our tipsters identified," said Larry Givens, AAA Michigan Vice
President of Corporate Relations.  "The hot line service we provided was
appreciated and effective."
    Wednesday, Michigan legislators approved a much-needed transportation
package that is expected to generate $350 million annually to repair and
rebuild the state's infrastructure.  Among other things, the package includes
a 4-cent per gallon gas tax and higher truck fees dedicated to repaying
existing road bonds.
    Gov. John Engler is expected to sign the package into law and it will
become effective August 1, 1997.
    "Callers who had to pay for flat tires, bent rims, suspension and
alignment damage can have some satisfaction in knowing that the tax increase
will only cost the average motorist about $24 a year," Givens said.
    "That's far less than many of us are paying to repair damage done to our
vehicles by deteriorating roads," he said.  It is estimated that each Michigan
motorist spends an average of more than $100 per year on extra repairs, wasted
fuel and tire wear by driving on poor roads.
    "We need new road and bridge construction that will last, and we need a
realistic schedule of quality repair and preventative work to avoid the
problems that were evident on our roads this spring," said Givens.
    While applauding the increase, Givens said he was disappointed that the
tax on diesel fuel -- used by heavy trucks -- remained at 15 cents.  "We
expected parity in the way the tax would be applied, since studies have
repeatedly proven that trucks do far more damage to roads than cars,"  he
said.
    The AAA Road Condition Hotline report, launched March 11, generated
unprecedented support from motorists across the state, who used the hotline to
register complaints.  The complaints resulted in a weekly road condition
report.
    While the toll-free number is being discontinued, AAA Michigan is advising
motorists to tell their local road commission if they discover new road
condition problems.
    In 1994, 21 percent of AAA Michigan's 1.6 million members rated state
highways in poor condition.  In 1996, that number doubled to 40 percent.

SOURCE  AAA Michigan