Funding has been secured following a two-year effort by the Mackinac County Road Commission to replace the Rutledge Road Bridge over the Munuscong River in Marquette Township. The bridge was built in 1914.

A$502,100 contract between the Mackinac County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was approved by commissioners Tuesday, April 18. The Road Commission and the township will contribute $25,000 and MDOT's costs will come from the Local Bridge Fund and will total $477,000.

In a review of the commission's 2005 financial report, manager Craig Kelso said, "We're holding our own," although he added that last year's expenses exceeded revenues by $233,972.

The commission received only one bid, which it accepted, for $169,224 for five trucks to be used for road maintenance and snow plowing. Truck and Trailer Specialists of Boyne Falls submitted the bid.

The commission will finance the purchase with a 10-year loan from First National Bank of St. Ignace, which offered the lowest interest rate, through a bidding process. A total of $700,085 at 4.45 percent will be borrowed from the bank.

A road agreement was signed with Hudson Township for subgrade strengthening, aggregate lift, surfacing, and restoration work to be performed on H-40 from Black River Road to the east. The work will cost $100,500, with the road commission and township each contributing $12,650. Federal funds amounting to $75,200 will comprise the rest.

Bob Brotherton, Newton Township supervisor, will draft a letter from the township requesting a cost estimate to convert Rock River Road from a seasonal road to a year-around road. The road stretches from US-2 to Hiawatha Trail.

The Road Commission's policy to move a road off seasonal road status is to upgrade the road condition to a year-around level using funds other than the Road Commission's, said Mr. Kelso. Funds can come from the township or a local unit of government and once the road is upgraded, the Road Commission will maintain the road, he explained.

The Mackinac County Road Commission meets every other Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Road Commission office on North State Street in St. Ignace.