Michigan communities are at a pivotal moment. Aging infrastructure, constrained budgets, and increasing environmental challenges demand a smarter, more strategic approach to planning and investment. That’s why the Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) is advancing a statewide culture of asset management-and has released its 30-Year Integrated Infrastructure Strategy to guide that transformation.
This comprehensive, forward-thinking framework emphasizes data-driven decision-making, cross-agency coordination, and collaboration across asset owners to deliver better outcomes for residents.
Traditionally, road, water, sewer, and utility projects have been planned in isolation-resulting in duplicated work, unnecessary disruptions, and missed opportunities for cost savings. Through integrated asset management, communities like Pontiac are aligning efforts across sectors to reduce costs, minimize disruptions, and improve public services.
Pontiac Case Study: Dig Once, Benefit Many
In Pontiac, the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office (OCWRC) applied an integrated approach to the Water Main and Lead Service Line Replacement Project. By using asset data and coordinating across departments, OCWRC identified high-risk infrastructure-such as 1940s-era cast iron water mains and lead service lines-and strategically timed their replacement alongside scheduled road projects.
This “Dig Once” strategy reduced disruptions, saved money, and helped prevent future water main breaks and boil water advisories. Thousands of lead lines were replaced, water quality was improved, and public trust was strengthened through transparent communication-highlighted in an interactive public story map.
This is a powerful example of how integrated asset management can deliver smart, people-centered results.
To learn more about this project, see the recent Community Highlight on the MIC’s LinkedIn page.
Training Local Leaders: The Asset Management Champions Program
Behind these results are trained local leaders who understand the value of proactive planning. That’s where the MIC’s Asset Management Champions Program comes in.
This free program equips managers, engineers, finance staff, planners, and others with the tools and knowledge to lead asset management efforts in their own communities. The interactive training program combines asynchronous education, facilitated discussions and industry learning into a professional certificate from MIC.
- Program dates: August 12 – October 30, 2025
- Estimated time: ~25 hours
- Cost: Free to participants (funded by MIC)
- Application deadline: August 8, 2025
- Watch a short video overview of the program: Asset Management Champions Program – Overview
Champions learn to:
- Coordinate across infrastructure sectors (e.g., roads, water, sewer)
- Align capital improvement plans (CIPs) for efficiency
- Use asset data to prioritize and communicate investments
- Make the case for funding and long-term planning
- Build resilience into infrastructure decisions
Over 600 Michigan professionals have become Asset Management Champions-and they’re already driving smarter planning across the state.
Coming Fall 2025: SEMCOG’s Regional Infrastructure Coordination Hub
To further support regional collaboration, SEMCOG and MIC are launching the Southeast Michigan Regional Infrastructure Coordination Hub in October 2025. This initiative will help communities across Southeast Michigan integrate their Capital Improvement Plan projects into the MIC MiDIG Project Portal-a secure, GIS-based platform for sharing high-level project information across agencies.
The Hub and MiDIG Portal will streamline communication, enhance transparency, and facilitate seamless collaboration among all stakeholders involved in infrastructure projects. SEMCOG will work directly with communities to collect existing Capital Improvement Plans, assist in developing new plans, and provide education on the importance of asset management practices and coordinated infrastructure projects.
Additional questions about the program? Contact myself, Bailee Pasienza, Planner II, or Lindsey Kerkez, Civil Engineer III, SEMCOG Environment and Infrastructure.
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