LANSING - Jan. 26, 2007- President Bush's proposal to reduce gas use by 20 percent over the next 10 years would put even more pressure on Michigan's already inadequate road fund if it becomes a reality, experts say.

Michigan roads have been deteriorating for years because of low funding, said state Rep. Darwin Booher, R-Evart, and the gas tax is the main source of money counties get for road maintenance.

"The gas tax money will continue to drop," he said.

Bush's proposal is to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent by 2017 to relieve U.S. dependency on oil imports.

A focus on alternative fuels is one strategy Bush proposed to decrease gas use.

Alternative fuels are slowly taking the place of gasoline, said Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom R-Norton Shores, "and there is so much interest in alternative fuels so we'll see more."

Currently, no taxes on alternative fuels are earmarked for roads, although that may happen later on, he said.

"It won't be something this year," Van Woerkom said, "We want to encourage the industry."

Road tolls are another option that has been discussed by legislators, but that isn't likely to happen soon, he added. "I don't think public sentiment is there."

Despite the road funding implications, support for alternative fuels is strong in Michigan, Van Woerkom said.

"People hesitate to buy alternative fuel cars because it's so hard to gas up," he said, noting that a bill passed last year giving service stations an incentive to include an alternative fuel source pump.

The new pumps mainly contain E85, a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline said Allan O'Shea, chair of the Manistee County Board of Commissioners.

Although ethanol, primarily made from corn, is less efficient than traditional gasoline, it produces much less pollution, O'Shea said. But its efficiency is improving quickly, he added.

Biodiesel, a less common alternative to gas, produces only water vapor as a byproduct, said O'Shea, who helped spearhead Michigan's first state energy fair.

"Michigan is really accelerating the pace of energy conservation," he said.

Van Woerkom also sees things moving forward.

"I think people are angry with what happened to the price of fuel," he said. "People are ready for a change."