A Michigan Matters Exclusive: Governor Whitmer, "Fixing the Damn Roads" Will Take Time
Southfield (CBS Detroit) - In her first forum before an audience since taking office, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to the stage of the Detroit Free Press Breakfast Club and talked about her campaign pledge to fix Michigan's crumbling roads.
"It's going to take a while," the 49th governor told Carol Cain, Senior Producer & Host of CBS 62's MICHIGAN MATTERS and columnist at the Free Press who moderated the fast-paced conversation.
The sold-out forum held Jan. 18 at the Townsend Hotel will air as a special "Michigan Matters" 11:30 am this Sunday on CBS 62.
The event was the second in the paper's series of high profile speakers launched to address vital regional issues. Former MSU Interim President John Engler appeared in the inaugural Breakfast Club event last year.
Whitmer, a Democrat and Lansing insider who served as minority leader in the state Senate, talked about prospects of getting things done with the two chambers controlled by Republicans.
When Cain asked how she would pay for much-needed road and infrastructure repairs, she said she was still working on it and her budget. She is scheduled to deliver her first State of the State address on Feb. 5.
"I never dreamed in a million years I'd be known as the fix-the-damn-roads lady," Whitmer added with a laugh. "We're going to fix the damn roads, but I've got to acknowledge that it's going to take a little while."
She also talked about prospects for toll roads in Michigan.
Peter Bhatia, Editor and Vice President of the Detroit Free Press, also posed questions from the audience to the Governor.
Bhatia asked her about replacing Pipeline 5, which is over 60-years-old and located underneath the Mackinac Straits carrying millions of gallons of oil each day. Many say the pipeline poses a potential threat to the Great Lakes should it leak and needs to be closed down.
Bhatia also asked Whitmer about funding local governments.
Watch MICHIGAN MATTERS Sunday at 11:30am on CBS 62