With Michigan motorists facing another season of nerve-shattering and frame-bending potholes, leaders of a statewide campaign for increased transportation funding kicked off today a two-weeklong contest to find the state’s biggest roadway crater.

The contest, sponsored by the Michigan Transportation Team’s (MTT) Drive MI campaign, begins today, April 9, and runs through Friday, April 20. The contest will award $250 “service center scholarships” to help offset vehicle repairs to each of the top three entrants who report the worst potholes in the state.

“Driving in Michigan shouldn’t be an off-road experience,” said Mike Nystrom, vice president of government and public relations for the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association and co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team. “This contest is one way to focus attention on the yearly deterioration of our roads across the state during what regrettably has become known as ‘pothole season.’”

The contest is part of an ongoing effort to educate policy-makers and others that the dire condition of Michigan roads and bridges poses both an immediate public safety risk to motorists and represents a roadblock for business development in the state.

Contestants can log on to www.drivemi.org to submit a picture of the pothole, its approximate location and contact information by April 20. In light of the recent crumbling bridges, pictures of bridges will also be accepted. Contest participants should pull off the road and use caution in taking pictures of the potholes and bridges. The public will be able to vote for which pothole they think is the worst at www.drivemi.org. Online voting begins April 13 and ends at midnight April 20. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 24.

“Pothole season could be become a thing of the past if we were to make the necessary investment in our roads,” Nystrom said. “Unfortunately, at current funding levels, we can’t even keep pace with regular maintenance and repairs, never mind improvements.”

MTT is a broad-based bipartisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens working to improve Michigan’s transportation infrastructure. The Drive MI campaign is committed to promoting the development and maintenance of a safe, convenient and efficient transportation network that serves the public, private and economic development needs of Michigan.