Upcoming County Road Projects Approved
By Karen Gould

State and federal funds totaling $3.1 million will be used over the next six years to improve Mackinac County roads, and, among other projects, work on Swede Road and Simmons Road will now take place earlier than originally planned. The Mackinac County Road Commission project schedule was approved by the three-county Rural Task Force and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Friday, January 26. The other two counties in the task force, Luce and Chippewa, also received approval for their projects during the Sault Ste. Marie meeting.

Approved road projects for 2007 include H-40 in Hudson Township, East Lake in Brevort Township, Simmons in Marquette Township, Mackinac Trail in St. Ignace Township, Swede in Clark Township, Black Point in Brevort Township, Sandtown in Portage and Garfield townships, Krause in Garfield Township, and pavement markings countywide.

In 2008, road projects include Swede in Clark Township, Sandtown in Portage Township, H- 40 in Hudson Township, Black Point in Brevort Township, Pointe LaBarbe in Moran Township, and East Lake in Brevort Township.

Road projects for 2009 include Sandtown in Portage Township, H- 40 in Hudson Township, Black Point in Brevort Township, Swede in Clark Township, South Curtis in Portage Township, Charles Moran in Brevort and St. Ignace townships, and Naubinway in Garfield Township.

Road work for 2010 includes H- 40 in Garfield Township, Black Point in Brevort Township, Three Mile in Marquette Township, Swede in Clark Township, South Curtis in Portage Township, and Gros Cap in Moran Township.

In 2011, road projects include South Curtis in Portage Township, H-40 in Garfield Township, H-42 in Portage Township, Three Mile in Marquette Township, Swede in Clark Township, and Gros Cap in Moran.

Road projects on the schedule for 2012 include Worth in Moran and Brevort townships, H-40 in Hudson Township, Borgstrom in Hudson Township, Mackinac Trail in St. Ignace Township, Simmons in Marquette Township, and Naubinway in Garfield Township.

In a separate program, the road commission also works with townships on supplemental road projects, funded jointly by the county, road commission, and the townships, with the county and the road commission matching up to $10,000 for work on specific roads.

Before Mackinac County's proposed project list was approved by the task force, the road work schedule was discussed at a public meeting in St. Ignace Monday, January 22. Road commissioners listened to township representatives and residents voice concerns, and then commissioners made several modifications to the first draft of proposed projects. Aspecial meeting was held three days later to make additional changes to the schedule before it was presented to the task force and MDOT.

During the public meeting, commissioners moved the work scheduled for Simmons Road from 2012 to take place in 2007. In another matter regarding the road, Marquette Township Supervisor John Kronemeyer and township resident Barb Foster said the sides of the road are higher than the center, so there is no place for water to drain.

Road Commission Manager Craig Kelso later told The St. Ignace News that Simmons Road is in worse shape than Mackinac Trail and the road commission sometimes has to close the road because it is impassible with standing water. He and Mr. Kronemeyer made plans to further discuss the costs of improving the road.

Commissioners also moved up a Swede Road project when Clark Township Supervisor Linda Hudson presented road contracts signed by the township and road commission for work to begin on the four-year project in 2007. Swede Road work had been set to begin in 2009.

St. Ignace Township resident Joan Theut asked commissioners how much of Mackinac Trail will be completed. From the Chippewa County line south, approximately 10 miles of the road was not been completed in 2004 because of funding limitations. With new funding of $3.2 million for this year, work will continue from the county line south, leaving approximately a four-mile middle section of the road unfinished, as reported in The St. Ignace News in December.

Mr. Kelso said he estimated the road would be completed to the snowmobile overpass, but he had not received the bids for the project and could not say for certain.

Commissioner Lester Livermore said that the drop in fuel costs may have a positive impact by lowering bids and increasing how much of the road can be finished.

St. Ignace Township Supervisor Dale Nelson said he would rather see Mackinac Trail finished before Charles Moran Road, and commissioners said they would do what they could to get the road finished.

In an unrelated matter, John Lechner of Dafter, the owner of Lechner Construction, said he had not been paid $25,000 for road work he did on Bois Blanc Island.

He said Mr. Kelso would not sign off on the project.

Mr. Kelso said that the contract was between Mr. Lechner and the township and not the road commission.

Commissioners decided to invite Bois Blanc Township Supervisor Loren Gibbons to their next meeting to address this issue.

The Road Commission next meets Tuesday, February 6, at 1:30 p.m. at the Road Commission building on North State Street in St. Ignace.