(WXYZ) — Getting around metro Detroit could be going retro. There is legislation in place to bring back some iconic license plates.
The legislation would bring back two license plates from back in the day, with the sales of the plates — going back into our roads.
”I thought it represented Michigan, somehow the blue,” says Anthony Edward Braggs, from Oak Park.
For Braggs — the solid blue Michigan license plates bring back memories.
“My mother had a 1971 Pinto, and I remember that plate was on there, that was one of the first big blue plates I see,” he says.
Anthony isn’t alone in remembering.
“They are regular plates, today they are more fancy,” says Nick Dontchev, from Southfield.
“I remember those as a kid, yeah, they are kind of drab,” says Ken Wiggins, from Southfield.
So maybe they are not for everyone — but for those who do like the look they could be coming back.
Senate Bill 4-64 — introduced by Senator Mallory McMorrow — would call for the secretary of state to bring back Michigan’s blue “Great Lakes” plate, which was issued between 1983 and 2007, and the black “Great Lake State” plate, issued between 1979 and 1983.
The proposal calls for the plates' price to be 100 dollars — with the money collected going towards Michigan’s Transportation Fund.
“Right now, our roads are 3.9 billion dollars in deficient of what we need to fund our roads,” says Ron Brenke, Executive Director for the American Council of Engineering Companies. “Initial reaction is we will take any means necessary to raise more revenue for our roads.”
He says some progress has been made to fund fixes — including an increase in the gas tax in 2015 and bonding money.
“We see a cliff coming, you know, we see an end to this funding, and it is more of a one-time influx of funding, and what we really need is some long-term sustainable funding,” says Brenke.
The real question is — would you buy these plates?
“Yeah I would if it is going towards helping the roads,” says Wiggins.
“Anything that is going to bring moneys to fix our egregious roads is important, if it has something as small as a plate for a small cost I don’t see where it would be a problem,” says Braggs.
The legislation would have to be approved by the Michigan House and Senate — and be signed off on by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
