Mackinac County, Township Reps Work out Five-Year Plan for Road Projects
By Amy Polk

Mackinac County township representatives seemed satisfied by the roads selected for work over the next five years as they met with Mackinac County Road Commission and Road Commission Manager Karrie Abbitt Tuesday night, January 15. Few changes were made to the five-year plan, but those made include forgoing work on Gros Cap Road in favor of improvements to Black Point Road in Brevort Township in 2010 and 2012. Moran Township representatives requested commissioners schedule improvements to Charles Moran Road instead of Worth Road in 2012. Changes and corrections to Mackinac County's plan will be presented to the Rural Task Force of Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties, and the Michigan Department of Transportation for review and approval.

Tuesday's annual meeting with township representatives and the public was scheduled to give communities the chance to weigh in on how the road commission plans to spend more than $3 million in state and federal funds generated from gasoline and diesel fuel taxes. While prospective projects are placed on this five-year list, all work is subject to funding limitations and scheduling, Mrs. Abbitt and commissioners reminded the public throughout the meeting.

Mrs. Abbitt announced that Mackinac County Road Commission can expect about 4% less this year from the Michigan Transportation Fund, so residents will see that reduction reflected in road maintenance. This year's road maintenance budget is $1,550,000.

"That's the same amount we got in 1998," Road Commission Clerk Theresa McPherson said.

There is some talk about raising the federal gasoline tax to bring in more revenue for road maintenance, Mrs. Abbitt said, adding, "The cost of everything is going up, from the price of asphalt to the price of steel beams."

"Everything's going up, but revenue is going down, so we're going to be taking a hard look at our operations to see what we can do with operations and maintenance. Times are tough," she said. "We were told to estimate for a 4% reduction. It could be more. It could be less."

Road Commission Chair Frank Luepnitz said he and Mrs. Abbitt agree that four, 10-hour-day weeks seem to work well for road crews, and the road commission will try to schedule them for workers as often as possible to take advantage of good weather and more available light during the spring and summer. Crews seem to have better production over the four days as well, with fewer "start-up" and "shut-down" times, Mrs. Abbitt said.

Money-saving suggestions from the audience included one to introduce a "project swap" between townships to consolidate as many road projects at a time in one area. The scheduling method could save time and wear on vehicles if workers are driving from one side of the district to another.

Brevort Township Road Committee member David Craig said he thinks a lot of time is wasted driving between the garage and work sites.

When asked by St. Ignace Township Supervisor Dale Nelson why the road commission anticipates spending more money with some townships and less with others over the five years, Mrs. Abbitt said it depends on how much townships are willing to match or have available through millages and grants. About $75,000 in federal funds is available annually for each of the projects, Mrs. Abbitt told Mr. Nelson. The contribution is then matched with money from the townships and engineering services from the road commission.

"The townships that have been active and participating with the local matches are getting most of the work," she added.

Commissioners encouraged communication, including public participation and comments from township representatives at road commission meetings, as the only way commissioners can learn the priorities of the townships, or what projects townships are willing to negotiate on when money gets tight.

"That's what these meetings are for," Mrs. Abbitt said of the Tuesday meeting.

Mrs. Abbitt and the commissioners explained that projects sometimes get put off when revenue declines, contracts aren't signed in time, or state permits are not in place, as demonstrated by the Swede Road project in Cedarville. Clark Township Supervisor Linda Hudson and road committee representative Frank Harness asked Mrs. Abbitt for assurance the project is slated for 2008, since it has been stalled for three years now. Commissioners acknowledged the signed contract from 2005, and Mrs. Abbitt said the project now has state approval, so it should begin when the spring construction season starts.

John Benson of the Hudson Township Road Committee man also told commissioners to remember scheduled improvements to H- 40 through 2008 and 2009.

"One of the things [Hudson Township Supervisor Al Garavaglia] was concerned about was getting the 6.3 miles done that we requested two years ago," Mr. Benson said. Mrs. McPherson said Mr. Garavaglia had reported he would seek possible grants and funding sources to match any federal money the road commission could apply to the project. The work is contingent on Hudson Township coming up with matching funds.

Road projects approved for each of the next five years and some of the work discussed at the Tuesday night meeting are reported here.

2008 Road Projects

Swede Road Phases I and II in Clark Township, including 0.75 miles of surface improvements, wedging, and paving from M-129. Commissioners and Mrs. Abbitt were not sure what was proposed for Phase II and there was some confusion about where the project begins and ends. Former Road Commission Engineer Craig Kelso designed the project, and the description identifies paving Swede Road between "Meridian Road" and M-48, but Meridian does not cross Swede Road at any point. Mr. Luepnitz suspects the project is to reduce the slope of the hill at the corner of Frank Malkowski's farm to prevent erosion there. Questioned by Mr. Harness about how these road projects end up on the list, Mr. Luepnitz recommended Clark Township Road Committee members or township officials meet with the new engineer, Mrs. Abbitt, and re-examine the work proposed for Swede.

Sandtown Road in Portage Township will get surface improvements, but commissioners will consider a suggestion to blacktop a one-mile section of the road starting at M-117 instead of placing a chip-seal application. Other scheduled projects include H-40 in Hudson Township, Black Point between Brevort and Moran townships, and the first and second phases of East Lake in Brevort Township. East Lake Phase I will correct a runoff problem, and since three new culverts were placed along the road last year, some finish work on the culverts will probably be performed this year, Mr. Luepnitz said. East Lake Phase II includes a chip-seal application one half mile south of Green Lake Road.

The Simmons Road project that was moved up the list to 2007 from 2012 will now take place in 2008. The road commission has received state permits for the project, Mrs. Abbitt said, opening the door for work to start in the spring. The road will receive structural improvements to prevent flooding and deep mud that occurs, especially in the spring. Work will start on Simmons at the intersection of Three Mile and Rockview roads north of Hessel, and continue west for 0.07 mile.

2009 Road Projects

Improvements to Sandtown Road and South Curtis in Portage Township, a small section of Charles Moran Road in Brevort Township, and Black Point Road in Brevort and Moran townships, H-40 in Hudson Township, Swede Road in Clark Township, South Curtis Road in Portage Township, and Naubinway Road in Garfield Township.

2010 Road Projects

Improvements to Three Mile Road in Marquette Township, H- 40 in Garfield Township, Black Point between Brevort and Moran townships, Swede Road in Clark Township, South Curtis in Portage Township, and Gros Cap in Moran Township are on the schedule. Gros Cap was listed twice in 2010, so commissioners replaced one reference with Black Point Road, agreeing with Moran Township Trustee Mark Spencer's comment that "Black Point Road is probably the worst, federally eligible road in the county."

2011 Road Projects

Scheduled work will be on South Curtis Road in Portage Township, H-40 in Garfield Township, H-42 in Portage Township, Three Mile Road in Marquette Township, Swede in Clark Township, and Black Point Road between Brevort and Moran townships.

2012 Road Projects

Projects scheduled to remain the same as previously approved include an undesignated section of H-40 in Hudson Township, South Borgstrom Road starting at US-2 in Hudson Township, Simmons Road in Marquette Township, and Naubinway Road in Garfield Township. Charles Moran Road in Brevort and Moran townships was substituted for Worth Road at the suggestion of township representatives.

The road commission will plan improvements to Mackinac Trail in St. Ignace Township heading north of the M-134 intersection. St. Ignace Township Supervisor Dale Nelson suggested the work start there instead of heading south of M-134.