| | |
|
|
|
|
||
News ArchiveNews Releases    
Extreme cold calls for extreme caution.Flint, Michigan. ---
But another, even more deadly hazard lurks if you do happen to find yourself in a ditch or a snow bank, perhaps uninjured and undamaged but stuck, and all alone. Extremely cold temperatures can quickly turn this relatively minor inconvenience into a truly life threatening situation. Just ask the man who was rescued by a Road Commission driver on such a day last winter. He credits the Road Commission with saving him from freezing to death. The Road Commission would rather not have to rescue YOU.
Remember…don't crowd the plow! Road Commission “Pumpkin Parade” preps for winter’s worstFlint, Michigan. --- The Genesee County Road Commission will be conducting its annual final inspection of winter maintenance equipment at its Oakley Street headquarters on Thursday, November 6th. Dubbed the “Pumpkin Parade” because the long line of cleaned and polished orange snow plows and salt trucks entering the facility bears a striking resembles a parade of pumpkins, this final inspection is only the most visible of the many activities the Road Commission conducts to ensure its trucks and its troops are ready for anything that the fast approaching winter can dish out. According to Maintenance Director Anthony Branch, “this is the end of the preparation process, not the beginning. Each piece of equipment in the ‘parade’ has already had any routine maintenance items taken care of, has been through its inspections and should be ready to fight a storm. These vehicles are here for final inspection. We go over them one more time to make sure they are all in ‘fighting shape’ and ready to battle the elements.”
$12.5-million Miller Road project to smooth path to shoppingFLINT TOWNSHIP FLINT TWP. - Just before the start of the 2008 holiday season, just after Halloween decorations come down, the Genesee County Road Commission will give merchants and their customers along one of the county's busiest thoroughfares a $12.5-million gift, according to The Flint Township News' Web site, www.mlive.com/flinttownship. The gift: A new and improved Miller Road. Construction on the 4.75-mile stretch of Miller Road, between the Flint city limits at Ballenger Highway west to the old Lansing Highway, should start sometime next spring, said John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission. The project should be completed by late October, or early November at the latest, said Daly, who spoke at the October meeting of the West Flint Business Association. "This project is kinda like a duck you see swimming in a pond," Daly said. While the duck may appear to be floating leisurely across the water, "you look underneath and the duck is paddling like hell." The construction work will include not only rebuilding Miller Road, but the placement of curbside "cutouts" for buses that will enable them to pick up and drop off passengers without stopping traffic. The logjam at the entry points onto I-75 will function more efficiently with the addition of dual turn lanes. Traffic signals also will be replaced with a radio-controlled system that will respond "to traffic that is actually there, rather than the traffic we think is going there," Daly said. The estimated price tag of $12.5 million makes the Miller Road project the most expensive in the history of the road commission, Daly said. On Nov. 2, bids will be accepted for the reconstruction, and on Nov. 7 bids will be accepted for the replacement of signal lights along the road, Daly explained. "We started looking at this in terms of the initial look in 2002, and started putting the pieces together, how we were going to break the project into sections ... in '03, '04 and really starting putting it together in '06," Daly said. While landscaping of the street would be a nice addition, Daly said there is no room in the current budget for cosmetic improvements. During the business meeting, Larry Ford, deputy director of the Flint Downtown Development Authority, suggested that construction work on Miller Road continue at night. But Daly ruled out that possibility, saying there's not enough local personnel and equipment, such as lighting, to support such an approach. Miller Road hassles minimizedFLINT JOURNAL LETTER TO THE EDITORFLINT THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Friday, December 07, 2007 By John H. Daly III Journal Reader I completely agree with The Flint Journal editorial regarding the pending reconstruction of Miller Road between Ballenger Highway and Linden Road [Nov. 12, Page A10]. As you correctly assessed: " even under ideal circumstances, the price will include a major disruption to this county's prime commercial district ...." But let me take this opportunity to assure you and your readers that every person involved in this project is keenly aware of the crucial nature of this corridor and that every effort is being made to keep disruption to a minimum. For one thing, the project is on an extremely tight construction schedule, with actual road work to begin in early May and be completed by mid-September, before the holiday rush begins. Also, the work will be done in stages. Phase I (the segment of Miller between I-75 and Lennon Road) will be completed by mid-June when Phase II (the segments from Lennon Road to Linden Road and from Ballenger to I-75) begins. Further, three lanes of traffic (one lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane) will be kept open at all times during both phases. We have also established a "Miller Road Program" page on our Web site (www.gcrc.org/miller_road.html), with project timelines, the latest news, funding information, video presentations, frequently asked questions and a link to contact us directly. It soon will also have a link to video cameras placed along Miller Road for a "live" look at construction progress and traffic conditions. Perhaps most importantly, there is a link that enables users to be automatically notified by e-mail when the Web page is updated. Using this feature, you could be automatically notified when the next public meeting on this project is scheduled, for example. Some disruption is inevitable on a project of this nature, but we intend to do all we can to make it as brief and painless as possible. John H. Daly III manager-director, Genesee County Road Commission TopRescueRoad commission rides to rescue
Businesses, residents brace for mess during Miller Road reconstructionFLINT TOWNSHIP FLINT TWP. - Betty Lawrence has seen a lot living 40 years on and around Miller Road, and she knows the big reconstruction that starts here today will be another sight to behold. "Everyone who comes in talks about it," she said Friday from her home on Curtis Road, just north of Miller Road. "It's going to be a mess." The Genesee County Road Commission, businesses and drivers who make Miller Road one of the busiest in the county hope that mess at least ends up being manageable. They will start to find out today as Miller Road traffic shifted this morning from I-75 west to Manwaring Drive and the first chunks of road are torn up. About 21,000 vehicles drive that stretch on an average day and now, they'll have to share one eastbound, one westbound and one turn lane for the next six weeks. Also starting this week will be work in the intersection of Ballenger Highway and Miller. As soon as that first phase of work is complete, contractor Zito Construction will move the work area from Manwaring to Linden Road before finishing work in the area from I-75 east toward Ballenger Highway. John T. Plamondon, construction manager of the road commission, said that when traffic is shifted to the southern-most side of Miller today, work can start on tearing out concrete and asphalt in the northern-most lanes. "Once we get it set up, things will go smoothly," said Plamondon, who said shoppers shouldn't be scared away from the township because of the job -even if it is the biggest the road commission ever has managed. The work on Miller Road is expected to cost more than $10 million and continue until Sept. 15. Those long months of slow going on Miller worries business owners such as Dave Barclay of Duke's Car Stereo. He's right in the heart of the project and already is worried about the potential for backups and frustration. "Four months -that's an awful long time," Barclay said. "My first hope was for a faster turnaround time." Like others bracing for the reconstruction, Duke's will remind customers it has other Flint area locations that might be easier to get to. Barclay said he knows most businesses don't have that luxury and believes the summerlong construction will cause some businesses to close before its over. "It's definitely going to hurt, (and) it's tough enough already in this economy," he said. At Dale's Natural Foods, Manager Deb Gustafson said some customers already are making plans for how to get to the health food store when Miller Road traffic slows. Dale's is posting construction updates on its Web site, www.dalesnaturalfoods.net. "We're really apprehensive, (but) exactly how it's going to affect us, we don't know," Gustafson said. Area homeowners such as Lawrence, who live on Miller Road's remaining residential side streets, also have mixed feelings about the need to repair the road and the short-term aggravation. Lawrence, 81, hasn't been driving a vehicle since a car accident in 2005, but she continues to walk on Curtis Road and has regular visitors. She moved her home here from Miller Road as property values soared because of the demand for retail property. "I imagine we're going to get a lot of noise and smells," she said. "There's nothing much you can do about it but to be stuck." *** Officials break ground on Miller Road projectFLINT TOWNSHIP FLINT TWP. - Look out: Construction starts next week on busy Miller Road. Federal, county and local officials donned yellow hard hats and grabbed shovels Monday to break ground and celebrate the beginning of construction on the commercial thoroughfare. Although the project will cause lane closures, detours and traffic backups - the likelihood of which already is causing worries for some business owners - officials say the inconveniences will be offset by a smoother road, increased safety and better traffic flow when the project is completed. "Thousands of people drive to work every day, go to stores and move from one end of the community to the other on this road," said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. The $10-million project from Linden Road to Ballenger Highway is the largest ever for the Genesee County Road Commission. Construction is expected to last through September. Roseanna Knoack, manager of Bob Evans Restaurant, 3267 Miller Road, said she hopes construction ends on time. "It depends on weather conditions, if they run into problems and drivers," said Knack. "All businesses will be slightly affected, but we're excited and hopeful we will maintain sales." While under construction, traffic will be reduced from two lanes in each direction to one. A left-turn lane also will remain open. The first phase of construction will begin east of Manwaring Drive to I-75. It will include the ramp to southbound I-75 and the intersection of Miller Road and Lennon and Ballenger roads. The first phase is expected to be completed in June. *** Ottawa Hills paving won't come cheapGRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP GRAND BLANC TWP. - The owners of 400 homes in the Ottawa Hills subdivision agree, as do township and Genesee County Road Commission officials: The roads in the township's second-largest subdivision absolutely need to be resurfaced. The question is how the project - estimated at more than $6 million - should be funded. Traditionally, the township has picked up 25 percent of the bill with the road commission covering the same amount and residents paying 50 percent through a special assessment district. But with the township's largest subdivision, Williamsburg Farms off Maple Avenue, slated to undergo the final phases of a two-year paving plan this summer, township officials can't offer an immediate guarantee of that level of contribution. "I'm hoping we'll be able to contribute something, it just won't be as high as 25 percent. It's just where we are with our budget," said Clerk Linda Kingston. The 25 percent contribution is not set in stone. "Some townships in the county contribute nothing and never have. There's no legal requirement," said John H. Daly III, the road commission's manager-director. The township is paying almost $1.3 million over 10 years for the Williamsburg Farms project. About 150 Ottawa Hills residents attended the first of three required hearings on the matter March 25 at the township hall. Road commission officials provided a ballpark estimate of the cost and answered questions. "Frankly, people were shocked by the estimate," said Jerry Bergler, Ottawa Hills Residents Association vice president. The preliminary estimate is more than $6 million. If the township contributed nothing - the scenario laid out at the meeting by the road commission - homeowners would have to pay almost $5 million. A homeowner with 100 feet of property frontage would pay more than $11,000 over 10 years. That's an extra $92 a month, a potential burden especially for those on a fixed income. "People were sticker-shocked by the amount," Bergler said. When residents began their petition process in 2005 for a special assessment district, estimates were roughly $3.8 million, he said. But the price of everything is going up - Daly said prices for materials and labor are going up 6 percent to 8 percent annually. Even so, some residents may circulate a counterpetition to stop the process. They have 45 days from the date of the March 25 hearing to file a petition and would need signatures from 51 percent of residents. Bergler said it took almost six months to complete the original petition for the special assessment district. "My argument to them is, 'What's the solution?' You can stop this process ... what's the plan to fix the roads?" There really is none. The road commission will hold a second informational meeting for the special assessment district, followed by a third required public meeting to present official estimates. "It's a very conservative process, and it takes some time," Daly said. "The reason it's set up that way is because potentially downstream, you're placing the property owners in a position to pay for something they may not want." Or at least, may not want to pay for. "I know that the board (wants) to help them as much as we possibly can," Kingston said. *** Businesses brace for blow on Miller RoadFLINT TOWNSHIP FLINT TWP. - Business owners along Miller Road believe its reconstruction is a necessity, but one that will cause a decline in their profits this summer. "I know they're trying to make it painless, but it's still going to be painful," said Daniel Andrews, owner of Fuddruckers, 2373 Austin Place. "The businesses still have to pay bills and taxes." Andrews and others gathered last week at the final public meeting on the project to discuss the impact of the busy road's reconstruction. While he acknowledges the necessity and eventual benefits of the reconstruction, Andrews fears the short-term financial losses during his peak summer season. "We market Miller Road with billboards," Andrews said. "That's how we draw that traffic," he said of I-75. "This is going to discourage that." Fuddruckers has only one entrance and exit off of Miller Road. The project will repair Miller Road between Linden Road and Ballenger Highway, a stretch of about two miles. The construction will be split into three phases from May 5 through Sept. 15. "There is no convenient time to do a road. Short-term, there is going to be adverse impact of traffic flow," said John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission. "But the road will stay for 15 to 20 years." Daly said the construction will be completed before the peak fall shopping season. The road commission will keep the public informed about the construction through a daily or weekly e-mail service, he added. In a presentation outlining the reconstruction, construction manager John Plamondon promised three lanes of traffic - a single lane going in each direction plus a left-turn lane - at all times; open driveway access to all the businesses; changeable message signs on I-75; and weekly updates to the public through an e-mail notifier service. "My main concern is customers getting to the stores," said Mark Kloeckner, owner of Oreck Vacuums, 4270 Miller Road. "I'm going to see how they're going to accommodate the customers so I could pass along the information to them." Jay Wise, district manager of Northwest Tires and Service, 4545 Miller Road, said the project needs to take place, but he doesn't understand why it's in the summer. The majority of Northwest's business is from walk-ins, and he's expecting it to suffer with diminished traffic flow. "If they get it done in the manner they described, I don't see a problem, but there's a lot of 'ifs,'" Wise said. "You don't beat your car up and then get it repaired." *** Winter costs slash road repair budgetGENESEE COUNTY GENESEE COUNTY - Drivers may have to endure crumbling county roads awhile longer. Harsh weather and high prices for petroleum products this winter has the Genesee County Road Commission planning cutbacks in summer maintenance projects to make up for the increased winter spending. Efforts to repair guardrails and patch or replace small sections of roads, along with other regular maintenance projects, will be reduced. "We're going to provide the same type of services, there's just going to be a curtailment on what's available and when we can do it," said John Daly, the Road Commission's manager-director. "We won't be cutting out any one thing, but there will be an impact across the board." Soaring diesel fuel and asphalt costs and cuts in funding for roads are the culprits, Daly said. The unusually snowy winter also played a part because plows and salt trucks were operating more often than in previous winters. About 85 percent of the commission's fuel budget has been spent already, including $433,000 on diesel in January and February. The biggest impact of the cuts will be on subdivision streets, rural roads and other areas with less traffic, Daly said. Crews also will spend fewer days during the week repairing roads, and weekend and holiday work may be saved only for emergencies, he said. Roads with the most dangerous or potentially damaging potholes will be repaired, Daly said. But, drivers still may have to deal with some of the shallower pavement pits. It's something Keisha Chandler, 20, isn't looking forward to. The Flint resident said she spent nearly $1,000 to repair the damage potholes caused to her car about three years ago. "It's upsetting," Chandler said. "I was driving 25 (mph), and it still did it." Daly said drivers should travel at lower speeds on some roads to allow for the pulverized pavement. "The bad part of it is, it doesn't mean that the work doesn't need to be done, it just gets postponed to some point in the future where you assume you'll have enough money," he said. Other communities may face similar predicaments. Swartz Creek already has exceeded its budget for snow removal, said City Manager Paul Bueche. Now the costs to keep the roads cleared and patched could come out of money normally set aside for maintenance projects. But he assures residents that the city's potholes will be filled. "We're going to have less money in the grand scheme of things for major repairs," he said. "The ripple effect of that is profound." He said he's not sure when the city's residents could see the effect of this season's costs. "Whether it's this summer or summers to come, it's hard to determine," Bueche said. *** Businesses in Miller Road contruction zone allowed to have temporary signageby Pardeep Toor | The Flint Township News Tuesday May 06, 2008, 11:11 AMFLINT TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- Businesses along Miller Road will be allowed to use temporary signage to mark their presence during its reconstruction. In a a special meeting Monday, Township Board members proposed an amendment to the sign ordinance to allow portable signs for business owners between Ballenger and Linden roads to advertise their entrances and locations. "We're trying to anticipate the needs of the business community. We know that it's trying times for them," Trustee Brady Smith said. "We're going to do as much as we can to help. We want to make sure it's as painless as possible." The amendment will take effect May 15, at which point businesses can submit a notice of intent to the building department to erect a sign along the road. Approved signs can be a maximum of 32-square-feet and must be removed by Sept. 15 or within 24 hours of the completion of the reconstruction project. "It will give us help with our advertising. It won't kill us but it'll help," said Heshimu Williams, manager of Bob Evans, 3267 Miller Road. Supervisor Douglas Carlton said the signs will help travelers on Miller Road determine entrances and driveways to the businesses they are searching for during the construction period. "During tough economic times, we're being sensitive to the business community," Carlton said. "Because of the construction, they (commuters) won't be able to see the signs (of the businesses) but now they will be visible." "They're going to have a lot of people put stuff out there then, especially now with the construction going on," said Janice Maldonado, kitchen manager at Old Country Buffet, 3583 Miller Road. "We can let people know that we are willing to give them a deal if they are willing to fight traffic." Both Williams and Maldonado said they would consider portable signs for their businesses in the coming weeks. "We're trying to make this as convenient as we can," Clerk Kim Courts said. The amendment will have a second reading at Monday's Township Board meeting before a vote takes place. *** Work on Miller Road in Flint Township a pain -- but a 'necessity'by RoNeisha Mullen FLINT TWP., Michigan -- Motorists sit there in narrow lanes, stuck in stop-and-go-traffic, only inching forward as red lights turn green and then red again. Welcome to Miller Road. One week into a $10-million road reconstruction project in Genesee County's commercial corridor, the side effects are evident in the lines of red brake lights. "I was frustrated as soon as I got off the freeway," said Diane Hall, who travels from Rankin to work at Hurley Medical Center. "You're coming home from work and you try to make a quick stop to run an errand and you're instantly tied up in traffic."Construction began Monday and is being done in sections. Crews are currently working on a strip between Ballenger Highway and Manwaring Drive, reducing the five-lane road to three -- one lane each way and a left-turn lane. And, not everyone's complaining. After all, residents have long complained about Miller Road and all its potholes. "I'm OK with it. They absolutely need to do it," said Monalisa Bissonnette, who visits the area at least four or five times a week. "With all the traffic on this road, it's a necessity." Bissonnette of Swartz Creek said that because she's familiar with the area, she's learned a few shortcuts that help her avoid some of the construction. Work there is expected to be completed by June 13, with the exception of the area of Miller between Ballenger and I-75. Crews will begin work on that area and the area between Manwaring and Linden on June 14. Crews are working directly in front of Yorkshire Plaza and business owners there weren't too worried. Neighboring subdivisions bring in a lot of shoppers, and repeat customers already know how to get around the construction. "Business has slowed a little, but for the most part, it's been pretty much the same," said Russ Meyers, manager of Steve's TV & VCR, a sales and repair shop. Meyers said that on average the store would see 10 to 15 customers a day, but since the construction started foot traffic has been reduced to about eight to 10 people. "We're only in the first week, though," Meyers said. "It may get worse, but I hope not." John T. Plamondon, construction manager for the road commission said he's pleasantly surprised by the acceptance of the traffic shift by area businesses. "I figured the first day we set this up, my phone would be ringing off the hook," Plamondon said. "But I haven't received one phone call." Construction hasn't yet begun in the area where Rib City Grill is located, but since it began up the road Monday, business has slowed significantly, said Lori Hincka, assistant manager at the restaurant. "Our sales are down tremendously," Hincka said. "Nobody wants to fight through that traffic to come eat here when they can go eat on a road with no traffic." Hincka said business this weekend will set the tone for the remainder of the construction period. "Tonight will be the true test," Hincka said. "We're usually packed on Friday and Saturday, and if we're not busy tonight, it's going to be a long five months." Hours for the kitchen staff have already been cut, but Hincka said the employees will get them back, at least for Mother's Day. "I think no matter what, we'll be busy for Mother's Day, she said. "It's a Sunday, so the everyday traffic won't be out, and we've had a lot of request for reservations for that day." The work on Miller Road will continue until Sept. 15.
*** SB I-75 ramp improvements necessitate temporary closure of rampsIn order to create 2 lanes on the ramp to southbound I-75 from Miller Road and improve the ramp from southbound I-75 onto Miller Road it will be necessary to temporarily close these ramps on Friday May 23rd from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Genesee County shifts road funds to buy diesel, cutting basic summer road jobsby Ron Fonger The Flint Journal Monday June 16, 2008, 10:05 AMGENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- Diesel fuel is costing the Genesee County Road Commission so much more than expected that the agency is cutting back this summer on some of the most basic road work it does, leaving unfilled potholes and less gravel on dirt roads. The commission has told townships it is withholding $179,000 that had been budgeted for a popular cost-sharing program that helped pay for ditch cleaning and other road maintenance when townships split the costs with the county. That money will be used instead to pay for higher-than-expected fuel costs, said Manager-Director John Daly. Shifting that money won't hurt seven townships in the county that already have committed to help pay for specific projects, Daly said, but those that have delayed locking in their plans are out of luck. "(Money for fuel) has to come from someplace," Daly said. "Diesel is our lifeblood." Although the county budgeted for a 30 percent increase in the price of fuel this fiscal year, prices have risen even faster. Flint Township, which lost the most 50-50 money, was able to make up some of that loss by getting funding from two other townships that had leftover funds on committed projects. Some townships aren't willing to pay half the cost of repairs and apparently wouldn't have spent all they were entitled to anyway because officials said they can't afford to match the county's road repair money this year. But others say the decision to switch the $179,000 to pay for diesel isn't fair. Vienna Township Supervisor Tony McKerchie said the decision came without warning. Ditching is work the road commission does to help prevent flooding by redigging and cleaning brush, branches and overgrown weeds from ditches. "We've been able to prepare knowing that the 50-50 program wasn't as solid as in the past," Zittel said. "It wasn't a big shock. It's not a good situation, but it's not unexpected." *** End is near for huge Miller Road reconstruction project in Flint Townshipby RoNeisha Mullen | The Flint Journal
John Plamondon, construction manager for the county Road Commission, said the project is scheduled to be completed on Sept. 15. Some entrances to stores and plazas are closed so that driveways can be reconstructed. The setup forces drivers to use service drives to get to their destinations. Plamondon said businesses should be easier to access during the final paving, which is scheduled to begin later this week. But the difficult setup hasn't deterred customers from traveling to the area to shop at their favorite stores. "I don't mind coming to Dale's Natural Foods because I like the products," said Ellen Morgan of Fenton. "Even with the construction, you go to the places where you know you're going to get good service and the products you want." Flint Journal Editorial: It's campaign season again in Genesee County - make sure you put up your signs correctly, says Flint Journal guest columnist John Daly
|
||
|
|
About Us | Contact
Us | FAQs | GCRC
News | Location Map |
|
