It takes a map to track funding for road repairs

The answers to those two questions are not simple, which is why so many taxpayers get frustrated with local officials whenever the topic of roads arises. Add the question of who has jurisdiction over which roads and it gets even more complicated.

Why are Michigan roads such a mess?

John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission, equates it to "a perfect storm."

"We have some of the highest weight limits of any state in the United States. The second thing is the freeze-thaw cycle. And the third thing is we are amongst the lowest states of money (from all sources) flowing into the road systems," Daly said.

Michigan has one of the lowest state gas taxes in the nation. And while the cost of road repairs has risen sharply, the gas tax hasn't been raised in a decade.

How are road repairs funded?

Through gas taxes and vehicle registration fees primarily.

Each gallon of gas carries an 18.4-cent federal tax, which goes to the Michigan Department of Transportation for state highways and bridges. MDOT gets 75 percent of the federal gas tax. The remaining 25 percent is split among all county road commissions, cities and villages in the state.

Michigan also has a state gas tax of 19 cents per gallon, one of the lowest in the nation. The tax hasn't been raised since 1997. It accounts for roughly 45 percent of the funding for roads. Vehicle registration fees account for another 45 percent of road funds and 11 percent comes from diesel fuel taxes and miscellaneous sources.

According to the County Road Association of Michigan, state funds are then distributed by law to the Bridge Fund and mass transit; 39 percent goes to MDOT (which has jurisdiction over 8 percent of Michigan's roads), 39 percent goes to county road commissions (which have jurisdiction over 75 percent of the state's roads) and just under 22 percent goes to cities and villages (which have jurisdiction over 17 percent of Michigan's roads). Townships do not receive money directly from the state for roads.

"Property taxes don't go to fix roads," Daly said.

Why isn't the county road commission fixing roads in my subdivision?

State law requires county road commissions to spend 70 percent of their funds on primary roads and 30 percent on local roads like those in subdivisions.

State law also requires the road commission to get at least a 50 percent match when it does construction and heavy maintenance on local roads. Usually the road commission asks for 75 percent. That money comes from local governments and from special assessments paid by residents.

Until last year, the commission initiated special assessments and floated the debt for construction projects in subdivisions. Now, local municipalities are responsible for those special assessments.

So when township residents want their subdivision roads resurfaced, they collect a petition asking for a special assessment district and take it to their township board. Homeowners cover 50 percent of the cost of the project through that assessment, paid over five years at no interest. Townships like Grand Blanc Township have paid for 25 percent of the construction costs and the road commission has paid the other 25 percent.

But with the large number of subdivisions in need of repair, Grand Blanc Township cannot afford to keep paying 25 percent of construction costs, board members say. That means homeowners would end up picking up more of the tab.

What if township residents approved a millage specifically

for roads?

"There is a provision under state law that would allow the township - once it had its millage in place for one year - to petition the road commission to take over the routine maintenance," Daly said.

The county road commission would then transfer authority for routine local road maintenance to the township. Routine maintenance does not include resurfacing, Daly said. The county would still be responsible for primary roads and for construction and heavy maintenance like resurfacing.

That millage money could also be used toward special assessment districts, enabling the township to keep paying 25 percent of those construction costs if it chooses.

Bottom line: Without an increase in the state gas tax, there is no additional funding for local road construction and resurfacing. While the Grand Blanc Township Board has not taken a position on a millage specifically for roads, it is one option being discussed. Such a millage could only be enacted through a ballot measure. Ultimately, the decision lies with voters, not the board.

For an explanation of how road repairs are funded in Michigan, go to www.micountyroads.org/pdf/roads_and_road_funding.pdf.

The Genesee County Road Commission's Web site also has information at www.gcrc.org.

***

Original Article
©2007 Flint Journal
© 2007 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

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Letting locals borrow would narrow repair gap

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By Journal Editorial Board
Though no Flint-area bridge has collapsed to get our attention, at least 20 spans in Genesee County are degraded to the point where they need repair or replacement. It is work that should be done sooner rather than later for both safety and cost reasons.
Unfortunately, later is the only option for most of them with the current level of state funding, as Michigan's tax on fuel remains inadequate to keep roads in good repair.
However, pending legislation in Lansing would boost the available cash for bridge work, without a larger levy, by letting cities and local road commissions borrow against future revenues. The state Senate has passed this bill and the House should follow suit.
It really is a no-brainer, as Genesee road commission chief John Daly says. While borrowing money would cost 4 percent or a bit more in interest payments annually, construction prices are rising 6 to 8 percent a year. Therefore, the faster the bridges can be repaired, the cheaper it would be.
As it is, the county takes precautions with the bridges needing work by posting weight restrictions. In the two worst cases, bridges are closed, including one on Lovejoy Road in Argentine Township that has been shut for five years. In Lapeer County, three bridges are out of use, though the county has a small tax supporting their upkeep.
Clearly, this infrastructure decay will only grow worse. In Genesee County alone, the local bridge bill totals tens of millions or more. Repairs needed on state highway spans maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation raise the total much higher. And for the nation, civil engineers put the tab at $188 billion.
Is it any wonder then that of the nearly 1,100 structurally deficient local bridges in Michigan that cities and road commissions maintain, only 50 to 60 annually get any funding.
Obviously, there's a strong case for giving cities and road commissions the ability to borrow to make a little headway on this backlog. However getting such useful authority from Lansing is but a small part of the remedy, as a large funding gap would remain that the present level of taxation will never span.
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Web site says 7 area bridges are in critical condition

GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, August 20, 2007
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317
GENESEE COUNTY - Even as the state launched a new Web site promoting the safety of large bridges in Michigan, counties are struggling to find the money to repair or replace dozens of small, often out-of-the way crossings in poor condition.
The Michigan Department of Transportation site - www.michigan.gov/highwaybridgereport - was up and running last week, listing information about the ratings of 4,402 state highway bridges across the state.
In the county, four state bridges are listed on the state's critical list, including two where repairs are being made this summer - I-75 at W. Court Street and Lahring Road at U.S. 23.
But 20 other smaller spans also need work or replacement and have weight restrictions because of condition. Two are closed and three are being repaired this summer, said John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission.
Gary Goulet of Davison Township said having the Oak Road bridge closed north of him has been both good and bad.
When the 130-foot bridge closed, Goulet said, some trips became more inconvenient, but the closing also cut down on traffic - a welcome change.
"It's a give-and-take thing," said Goulet, who has grown used to taking a slightly longer route to get his children to school since the bridge closed in 2003.
Daly said those living around the Oak Road bridge are fortunate. There is no timetable, for example, for fixing the Lovejoy Road bridge in Argentine Township, which has been closed for more than five years.
The county has responsibility for more than 160 bridges and culverts, and Daly said he supports legislation that would let road commissions borrow to get work done now rather than waiting for costs to rise.
"To me, that's a no-brainer to do. The cost of bridge repairs is going up 7 (percent) to 8 percent per year," Daly said.
In Lapeer County, three bridges are closed in North Branch, Marathon and Oregon townships, said Bill Meinz, the county's highway engineer.
Even though Lapeer County has a small tax that supports bridge repair, there isn't enough money to do all the work, Meinz said. Cities and villages are responsible for bridges within their borders.
"If the bridge is 20 feet or more, it's eligible for federal aid," he said. "If it's less than 20, we're all on our own."
Daly said it's worth considering the addition of tolls to large state bridges and the dedication of revenue to repairs, freeing up money that's dedicated to the job now and using it for local bridges.
He said the recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis most likely will bring more attention to bridge safety as well as more funding.
The state's new posting of bridge information went up Thursday.
Bridge ratings for spans on or over expressways and state roads can be found by county, showing the condition of the bridge deck, sub-structure and superstructure.
The superstructure is the portion of the bridge that supports the deck and connects one substructure element to another. The substructure is the portion of the bridge that supports the superstructure and distributes all bridge loads to below-ground bridge footings, according to MDOT.
Bridges are rated from zero (failed) to 9 (excellent) in each category.
The lowest rating in Genesee County was a "2" for the deck of the M-21 bridge over I-75. A rating that low means the deck is in critical condition with cracking in the concrete.
In Lapeer County, the lowest-rated bridge was M-24 over an abandoned Consolidated Rail line, which had a substructure rating of "2" also.
In Shiawassee County, three state bridges shared the lowest rating - all "3" scores for the bridge superstructures. The bridges are on M-71 at I-69, M-71 at the Holly Drain and old M-78 eastbound at Looking Glass River.
MDOT said in a news release that the state has increased funding to rehabilitate or replace bridges during the last 10 years and increased the number of bridge inspectors from six to 20 since 1996.
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Letter From Manager-Director Daly Regarding Funding Crisis

I am writing to share with you some of my concerns regarding the challenges we as local leaders face in trying to serve our constituents. As you know, road commissions in Michigan are charged with providing and maintaining a road system that is “safe and convenient” for the motoring public. This mandate is inescapable, regardless of the economic hardships the state might experience or financial stresses that the road commissions may find themselves facing as a result.

As you also know, however, the ability of road commissions, indeed of all road agencies and local governments in Michigan, to meet this challenge and comply with mandated responsibilities is becoming increasingly difficult, and unless adequate funding is restored, it will soon be completely impossible to maintain roads at an acceptable level. This trend was well documented in the report, “A Look at Local Roads in Genesee County, Michigan, 2004 – 2006”, which was distributed by the Genesee County Road Commission in March of this year. The report described a local road system in decline – not just in Genesee County, but across the state of Michigan – and identified inadequate funding as a primary cause.

County road commissions in Michigan are facing unprecedented challenges, with more than 90,000 miles of roads to maintain (compared to roughly 9,600 for MDOT) and flat revenues for the past decade. Throw in the state’s notorious freeze/thaw cycles, growing traffic levels and skyrocketing costs for materials, and it is apparent that the state’s county road system is headed for a crisis.

The chart shown in Figure 1 illustrates the first half of the gloomy equation, the stagnant revenue side, and the table in Figure 2 paints the other, equally appalling factor, the escalating cost side. Taken together, they describe a situation that simply does not compute. No enterprise, public or private, could long survive with such a divergence of revenues and expenditures.

Costs are rising across the board – and across the economy, with world crude oil prices fueling much of the increase in everything from asphalt to equipment to concrete, as reflected in Figure 2, but what accounts for the flat revenues reflected in Figure 1? More fuel efficient cars and consolidated trip-making explain a small portion of the reduction in gas tax revenue. And the eroded purchasing power of these tax dollars – down 42% since they were last raised in 1997, according to an April 2007 report from the Mackinaw Center - accounts for another portion.

But a more significant culprit is the debt service now required by the state’s attempts of the last decade to borrow its way out of an infrastructure crisis. Specifically, the bills for Build Michigan I, II and III, which did accomplish a good deal of necessary road improvements across the state, have come due and are now resulting in actual reduction in the MTF dollars coming to road commissions. The current Michigan Jobs Today program, while providing necessary funding and an opportunity to reconstruct some badly deteriorated corridors, will also likely result in further erosion of dollars available for road maintenance. And in a state that is already in the bottom 10 among all states in poor pavement conditions and high repair costs, that is a most unwelcome prospect indeed.

As John Niemela, Executive Director of the County Road Association of Michigan (CRAM) put it, “The continued (inadequacy) of funding has finally come to rest on more and more road commissions as they leave positions vacant, delay the replacement of equipment purchases and worst of all, actually lay-off employees — all of which will have a negative impact on the timeliness of our services.”

The bottom line is that without a significant infusion of new, adequate funding the best efforts of road agencies and local governments to do more with less will be insufficient, and the downward trend in the condition of Michigan roads will continue, negatively impacting the lifestyles - and lives - of all Michigan residents. But where this funding will come from is uncertain. A gas tax increase, perhaps the most equitable means of financing road improvements, has proven not to be a very popular idea. But shifting the burden downward, to residents as many townships, cities and villages have been doing increasingly for years, is equally unpopular, is less fair and has its limits as well.

I am writing not to propose a specific solution, but to invite you to join me in considering all options. Only by working in concert, with open minds and exercising all our creative faculties can we hope to meet the great challenges we face. And our citizens expect, demand and deserve no less.

Sincerely,

John H. Daly III, PhD
Manager-Director
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New Road Department Eyed

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP
GENESEE COUNTY THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Saturday, July 07, 2007
By Sally York
syork@flintjournal.com
810.766.6322

GRAND BLANC TWP. - Deteriorating roads are residents' top complaint, but are they willing to pay an additional 1.5 mills to create a township road department?

No, said Margaret Martin, a retiree on a fixed income who has lived in the township since 1951.

"We've got a high enough millage rate now," she said of the 33 mills taxpayers currently pay.

But local officials say they are running out of options for fixing the township's 162 miles of roads, now under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Genesee County Road Commission.

The county doesn't have enough money to do the $6.5 million in repairs desperately needed, officials say. And last year, residents voted not to merge the township with the city of Grand Blanc, a move that would have entitled the community to negotiate with the county to take over local roads and receive road money directly from the state.

Another idea, for the township to become a home-rule city on its own, never got past the discussion stage.

But before officials put a millage proposal on the ballot, they want feedback from residents. A second informational session is set for 6 p.m. July 19 at Township Hall, 5375 S. Saginaw Road.

Only a handful of residents came to the first meeting on June 13.

"They showed some interest," said Roger Buell, director of public services, "but 10 people is not representative."

The plan, subject to tweaking based on residents' input, would accomplish the following:

• Funding, staffing and equipping a road department to perform maintenance of streets, patching, guard rails, ditching, etc.

The township would take over maintenance of local roads from the Road Commission through a contract, though the county would remain legally responsible. State law requires the deal to include a road tax of at least 1 mill to ensure that the township has sufficient money to cover repair costs.

• Repaving subdivision roads would still be done through special assessment districts, in which benefiting residents pay for a portion of the work. In the past, the township has picked up 25 percent of the tab, but officials say there aren't sufficient funds to continue the practice. If a road millage is approved, the township would use proceeds to pay 50 percent of costs.
• Building more sidewalks and pathways. To date, the township's pathway plan has produced one short path on Grand Blanc Road, from the city limits to Creasey Bicentennial Park.
• Accelerating projects - funded by federal and county dollars - to improve such primary roads as Hill, Saginaw, Holly, Porter and Perry. The township would use millage funds to pay half of the county's share, pushing local projects up on the priority list.

A township flier spells out consequences if the proposal is rejected: Roads would continue to crumble, township snow plowing could stop, the township would pay for no new sidewalks or pathways, residents would be billed directly for sidewalk repair and installation, and special assessment districts would be funded solely by property owners.

But resident Ed Erdt, who has served on the township's pathway committee, remains opposed to a road millage. He said he doesn't want to pay more taxes and that the county has always been responsive to his requests for road maintenance.

"If we create a big department, we'll be sorry in the future," he said.

***
©2007 Flint Journal
© 2007 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

This article ws originally posted on Mlive.com. Read it here

Goodrich hears pitch from county road commission boss


GOODRICH
THE GRAND BLANC NEWS
Sunday, August 19, 2007
By Theresa Roach
troach@grandblancnews.com • 810.766.6335


GOODRICH - Village Council members remain uncertain about a Genesee County Road Commission offer that could save the village money, end the village's Department of Public Works and leave three people unemployed.
During Monday's council meeting, John H. Daly III, manager-director of the Road Commission, discussed taking control of roads in the county's three villages.
Gaines has turned down the offer, and Daly will meet with Otisville Village Council in September.
Goodrich council members will discuss the offer again at its Sept. 10 meeting at 7 p.m. in the lower level of the village office, 7338 S. State Road.
"I was a village manager for three years in northern Ohio (Lafayette), so I have an inkling of what goes on down in the trenches," Daly told the council.
"There's not always enough money to cover everything. Sometimes you have to import money from the general fund."
Villages and cities receive money for streets from Michigan's Public Act 51. The village received $99,300 for the 2007-08 fiscal year in Act 51 funds, said village Administrator Jakki Sidge.
When Act 51 money runs out, the village must use its general fund to cover the road bills. If jurisdiction is transferred to the Road Commission, the county would receive about $33,000 in Act 51 money for Goodrich and responsibility of covering costs after funds are depleted also will transfer, said Daly.
"Everything is going up, revenue sharing is at risk. Can we get through this year? Probably yes, but in four years we're going to start seeing problems. Some hard roads might need to change to gravel roads, and that would be a huge liability shift if jurisdiction transferred to the Road Commission from the village," he said. Resident Greg Tankersley urged council members to consider the option, and ask more questions before making a decision.
"I'm not saying to get rid of the DPW or to make any decisions right now. I think you should sit down and take a look at the information. Are there things that the county can provide for less money? Is there a way to work together?" he said during public comment.
Resident Norman Bass agreed that serious thought should go into the decision for the sake of the DPW employees, and the quality of service the village receives.
"This is a deep subject," he said. "We do have a DPW staff and they do more than manage the roads. How much are we losing if we do this? If it's under our control, we decide when to act. A lot of hard thought needs to go into this."
Village DPW employees also manage the parks, beautification, maintenance of public buildings, plow snow from business parking lots and sidewalks in the village.
The quality and timeliness of road service is a concern for council members David Lucik and Peter Morey, who asked about services and where Goodrich would land as a priority for the Road Commission.
Subdivisions are the lowest priority in receiving service, while main strips such as M-15/State Road would receive service first, said Daly. Hegel Road would qualify as a step above a subdivision, he said. The Road Commission will not plow or salt sidewalks or business parking lots, he said.
The village could negotiate specific details about snowplowing, salting, dams, emergency road service and other scenarios into the contract.
Daly suggested the village also consider a maintenance contract, which allows more flexibility than a transfer of jurisdiction.
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County offers to pay half of bridge fix

County offers to pay half of bridge fix
SWARTZ CREEK
THE SWARTZ CREEK NEWS
Sunday, August 12, 2007
By Robyn Rosenthal
rrosenthal@swartzcreeknews.com • 810.766.6310

SWARTZ CREEK - Just when the city thought they crossed that bridge, they're crossing it again.
Months after the city voted to refuse a state grant to fix the Raubinger Road bridge, which required a $145,000 to $160,000 match from the city, the county is raising the issue for discussion yet again.
In a letter to Swartz Creek, the county is proposing that the city turn jurisdiction of the bridge over to the county and pay half of the matching portion. In turn, the county would pay the other half, along with Gaines Township, whose residents also use the bridge.
The letter asks that the city to respond by Sept. 7.
"The winner will be both," John Daly, manager/director of the Genesee County Road Commission, said about Swartz Creek and Gaines Township. "It seems like it's in the best interest of residents in Swartz Creek and residents in Gaines Township that it be fixed."
The city received a $550,000 state grant to fix the bridge, which borders the city and Gaines Township. The grant expires in September 2008. City officials have argued that the bridge primarily serves township residents and the township should equally share in the cost to repair it.
But for two years, city officials said, the township has refused to weigh in on the issue. Earlier this year the city suggested the two municipalities consider sharing the cost equally, but the Township Board never voted on the issue. On April 23, in a split vote, the City Council voted to refuse the grant money.
"We could never get them to give us any answers, so we decided to shut down the project," said City Manager Paul Bueche, adding that the city hasn't contacted the state to refuse the grant.
The city earlier this year held a public meeting on the issue, requesting input from both township and city residents. Nancy Ocenasek, who lives in the city, said some residents never were notified of the meeting.
She's among some residents on the road who support keeping the bridge open, saying if it closes motorists would have to take Morrish or Elms roads into town. She said the bridge also helps the local economy.
"They come into town, use our local grocery stores, the parishes," she said. "The township contributes to the economic value of the city."
Township Supervisor Paul Fortino also supports the county's proposal.
"Of course we want it open. It puts a lot of pressure on other roads," he said.
If the proposal is approved by the city, the township would pay a percentage of the match under a formula calculated by the county.
"There are four places you can go north/south. When you reduce the Raubinger Road bridge, you reduce it by a quarter," Fortino said.
But city leaders aren't as enthusiastic about the plan.
"It would take some new news to change my mind on it," said Mayor Pro-Tem Jason Christie, who voted in April to refuse the grant. He said the city's matching portion instead could be used to fix local roads. "I feel strongly the bridge issue is dead."
The bridge became part of the city when it incorporated in 1959, according to Bueche. The city also owns about 300 yards south of the bridge to the railroad tracks, which the county is proposing also be transferred to the county so that the bridge is contiguous to the Genesee County road system.
Daly said the county by law can only spend money on roads in its jurisdiction, therefore, couldn't contribute to the Raubinger Road Bridge unless it was transferred to the county.
Daly said the county's proposal is unusual, however, he said the Raubinger Road Bridge, like bridges across the state, are crucial to the economy.
"You don't want to see any bridge not repaired," he said, adding that the county did not have a traffic count for the bridge. "It's extremely important to the economy of this county. It controls access to the southeast side of town."
Christie said the county should have intervened earlier.
"It's a little disappointing for the county to come to us with a proposal now," he said. "We've been trying to get (the issue resolved) for two years to no avail."
Daly said if the city refuses the grant, it's unlikely the bridge will ever be repaired and eventually would close.
"If you turn the bridge money back in, the chances at any point of the bridge getting funding is virtually zero."
City officials have invited Daly to attend the Aug. 27 City Council meeting.
"Other than fixing the bridge, there is no ulterior motive," Daly said, adding that he did plan to address the council on the proposal.

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Better roads appealing; taxes aren't

Better roads appealing; taxes aren't
FLINT JOURNAL COLUMN
GRAND BLANC
THE GRAND BLANC NEWS
Sunday, July 29, 2007
By Andrew Heller
Community Columnist
There is perhaps no more emotional topic in Grand Blanc Township than roads.
Simply put: We hate them. We hate the potholes, the ruts, the near-Third-World condition of many of them. We want 'em all fixed, and we want it done now. But are we willing to pay for it?

When the township held an informational meeting recently to gauge interest in a proposed 10-year, $2.2-million township road millage - which would cost the owner of a $200,000 home about $150 a year - 60 people showed up.
The predominant view: Yes to road improvements, no to new taxes.
After the meeting, I played a little 20 questions on the township's road situation with Public Services Director Roger Buell. Among them:

Q.: What was the top concern at the meeting?
A.: "Some people say they are already paying taxes and want the taxes to go to roads. The real concern in any general public informational meeting is that those opposed to a particular issue tend to be the loudest, most vocal or want to keep the supporters in hiding. Those in favor of an issue tend to not speak for fear of being caught in an open debate or fight. Our general direction is to get the right information out to the public and then ask for their input. We feel that an educated electorate will make the decision that is right for the community."

Q.: Is a tax likely, in your opinion?
A.: "We have many pockets of support for individual projects throughout our community, from sidewalks on Saginaw and Porter roads to fixing individual subdivision roads. Our job is to provide the facts of funding and allocation so that the residents can make an educated decision."

Q.: What if voters don't approve a tax?
A.: "We won't be able to address that until the Township Board has a final report. Each year the snow-plowing and the SAD program (by which the township pays a portion of subdivision road work) take a toll on the general fund, and there are no guarantees that either can continue."

Q.: What's the future for local roads?
A.: "The (Genesee County Road Commission) director said it very well: 'Local roads are headed for a crisis. Inadequate funding is a primary reason, and this is having an adverse impact on the convenience, safety and pocketbook of every motorist.'"

Q.: What don't people understand about the local road situation?
A.: "Your property taxes don't pay for roads like in a city. It appears that most residents think that because the township collects all of the taxes that we are responsible for all of the issues that those taxes cover. We collect the airport tax, health care tax, school tax, drain tax, special ed tax, bus tax, county operating tax, etc., but don't have a direct influence in how those taxes are spent."

Q.: Goodrich is considering doing away with its road department and letting the county take over. Some township officials are leaning the other way. What are the pros and cons of each approach?
A.: "Each situation needs to be evaluated on its own merits. In general, most road departments benefit from a portion of the work going to in-house forces and a portion going to outside or private forces."

Q.: What major projects are coming up?
A.: "Major projects for roads included in this year's program are Hill Road from Center Road to Genesee Road, where the intersection will have its left turn lanes lined up and the road widened to three lanes. Next year, we're looking at Belsay Road from Perry Road to Maple Road being resurfaced with no widening."
Andrew Heller has lived in Grand Blanc Township since 1996 and has the worn- out shocks and struts to prove it. Have a question or comment? Write to him at aheller@grandblancnews.com. ***

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Goodrich Village mulling county road service offer

GOODRICH -- The Village Council had more questions than answers last week in considering an offer from the Genesee County Road Commission to service the village's roads.

During Monday's council meeting, members discussed the offer that appeared in a June 26 letter to Council President Edward York from Road Commission manager-director John H. Daly III.

Daly said the move could create more efficiency, because county crews already are working on state and township roads that surround villages.

"This is an intent to offer villages an alternative they haven't had before. It's solely at their discretion," he said.

Council member Patricia Wartella said accepting the Road Commission offer would save the village money because it would eliminate the need for a Department of Public Works.

"I applaud (Daly) for offering us this olive branch," said Wartella. "If we could eliminate the DPW, we could eliminate wages, fringes, equipment. That is a substantial amount of money."

Others on the council said it could slow response time, while still others said they know of communities unhappy county-run road service.

"They're (Road Commission) looking for money and they're saying 'If you give us your Act 51 money, we'll take care of the roads.' That means we wouldn't have a need for DPW workers, but there are other factors we need to consider," said York.

"Are they going to be as responsive? Are they going to clean the roads that night or the next day? Where are we going to be on their priority list? There was no information in the letter, just the offer."

Villages and cities receive money to pay for streets from Michigan's Public Act 51. The village would use those funds to pay for the Road Commission service. Goodrich receives $99,300 annually in Act 51 money, said Village Administrator Jakki Sidge

© 2007 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

This article ws originally posted on Mlive.com. Read it here

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Roads chief sees merit to extra $500,000 to expand Miller Road work


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, November 10, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317

GENESEE COUNTY - The Genesee County Road Commission wants to stretch a reconstruction of Miller Road much farther west than originally planned - almost to the Shiawassee County line.

Manager Director John H. Daly III suggested the expansion in a letter to the county Board of Commissioners, asking members for a half-million dollars to make the idea work.

If commissioners agree to spend from a rainy day fund to extend the job from VanVleet Road to Lansing Highway, the cost of the entire project would soar to nearly $10 million, making it the most expensive job in the 69-year history of the road commission.

"My philosophy is, this is our shot. Rather than taking this in a piecemeal way, we should build (as far as possible) so that there's as little disruption as possible," Daly said.

"If we have to do it as a standalone project and chop this up so that we do a little bit every year, the costs are going to be blown out of sight."

County commissioners, three of whom are leaving office at the end of the year, haven't yet discussed Daly's request in public.

"It's certainly a project that needs to be done," said commission Chairman Richard E. Hammel. "It's just whether or not we can afford it."

The Miller Road project has been discussed most recently as stretching from Ballenger Highway to Linden Road -just under 2.5 miles.

This summer, construction on the project was delayed to 2008, but Daly has said some early field work could still happen in 2007. In the meantime, he has continued efforts to stretch the job farther.

In addition to rebuilding and expanding Miller Road in the busy commercial stretch from Ballenger to Linden, Daly suggests replacing sections of pavement from Linden to the Swartz Creek city limits and resurfacing Miller from Van Vleet Road to Lansing Highway.

Clayton Township Supervisor Rod Shumaker said the work on Miller between VanVleet and Lansing Highway is needed. That section of road separates Clayton and Gaines townships on the county's west side.

"There's a concern about losing the base on that road," Shumaker said. "Parts of the road have broken away."

Dan Andrews, owner of Fuddrucker's restaurant on Austin Parkway, near the Miller Road-I-75 exchange, said work is needed on some parts of the road.

Andrews said he hopes businesses are consulted before any decisions are made and that the county considers overnight work to cut the time of construction.

"They haven't given us any indication" about what's going to happen, Andrews said. "The road needs to be redone, but we need to know who's got what in mind."

Daly said he plans to appear before the West Flint Business Association early next year to discuss the project.

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Crumbling roads raise concerns


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, November 13, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317

GENESEE COUNTY -The busiest streets and roads in Genesee County are in increasingly poor condition, neglected so long that they now need expensive structural work, according to a new county evaluation.

The report from the county Planning Commission has not been published, but members of the county's Metropolitan Alliance were told the grim findings in a Nov. 9 letter that concluded, "Our overall system is deteriorating rather than improving."

"There is an increased need for capital/preventive maintenance improvements to help stabilize the ... road system," said the letter from Stanley Brantley, the county's associate planner.

The county rated all roads eligible for federal aid to come to its conclusions, scoring surfaces on a zero-to-10 scale with 10 being the best score and zero the worst.

Forty-two percent of the 1,045 miles of road surveyed -435 miles - were rated from zero to four, the bottom category of the rating scale. Just two years ago, only 99 miles were in the poorest category.

Brantley's letter said a more detailed rating process and closer examination of roads showing distress accounted for some of the change this year.

But Patricia A. Tilley of Mundy Township said the proof of neglected roads is in the driving.

"You can tell when you come into Genesee County by the roads (being so) bad," said Tilley, who questioned why her own road -Maple Avenue between Linden and Jennings -was resurfaced when others were in worse condition.

Areas with the most miles of federal aid roads that need structural work were Flint (41.2 miles), Mt. Morris Township (34.5 miles) and Grand Blanc Township (34.4 miles).

Areas with the least amount of streets even eligible for federal aid were Otter Lake (less than one-quarter mile), Otisville (0.61 miles), and Montrose (1.17 miles).

Roads eligible for federal aid are expected to carry heavy traffic loads like interstates, state trunklines, section line roads and major streets in cities.

John H. Daly III, manager director of the Genesee County Road Commission, said the county rating system isn't based on hard science but the observations testers make when they drive across a road, looking for cracking, surface wear, potholes and rutting.

Daly said he's not surprised by the ratings because his agency and others don't have the money needed to keep ahead of problems.

Daly said Michigan's Jobs Today program, which is accelerating 10 years of road and bridge construction work, will help but isn't enough to stop the trend. The county is using Jobs Today to speed up work on Miller, Bristol and Porter roads.

Robert Johnson of Mt. Morris Township, chairman of the Metropolitan Alliance, said this year's road ratings, unfortunately, are no surprise.

Johnson said the loss of General Motors plants in the county may have hurt the area's ability to win federal road money.

"They are just not being maintained," he said.

 

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Road work billings
Muncipalities can't shift cost of high overruns to neighbors


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, November 09, 2006

The Genesee County Road Commission should be taking seriously the duty to make reliable estimates on road work before starting a project, rather than stick local governments with high unexpected overages once the work is complete.

A mistake on the road commission's part has some Mundy Township residents squawking in protest, after being presented with a $236,000 overage bill. It resulted from a $844,657 estimate that wound up costing $1.3 million. The road commission plans to pay half of the overage, which far from satisfies all its critics.

But while the onus is on the road commission to avoid errors, Mundy Township should not expect relief at the expense of other municipalities in need of county road work. Municipalities need to take on their share of a 50-50 formula, even when a project hits snags, and be prepared to pay for overruns.

The Mundy misstep is taking on a life of its own, as Grand Blanc Township attempts to cap its liability for overruns incurred by the Road Commission to 10 percent, which would hold the Road Commission responsible for the rest.

The Road Commission says no deal, noting that it is not legally permitted to pay more than 50 percent on local roads projects financed from Michigan transportation funds. In its defense, the Road Commission contends the Mundy Township overrun was an anomaly, due in good measure to the particulars of that project, and as the highest overrun seen in at least 15 years, hardly constitutes an ongoing problem.

That excuse might play this time, but the refrain does not bear repeating often. The Road Commission is responsible for presenting valid estimates, while the municipalities should be looking for measures to protect themselves when unusual circumstances arise. The suggestion of insurance is one worth exploring.

Some solution or combination of several needs to be found. But taking road-work money from one municipality at the deprivation of another does not qualify for consideration.

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In theory, new law lets townships reduce speed limits on gravel roads


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, November 09, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317

GENESEE COUNTY - Don't expect quick reductions in speed limits on gravel roads even though a state law that takes effect today sets new, specific requirements for lower-speed zones.

The change will allow speed limits of under 55 mph on rural hard surface and gravel roads provided there are enough access points - such as driveways or intersecting roads - in the area.

The county, state police and townships still all have to agree to lower speed zones.

"I think there will be changes," said John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission. "It will give us more flexibility to tailor the speed limit to some of the growth going on that's not in cities or villages."

Under the existing law, Daly said, counties briefly had more authority to post lower speed limits in residential areas, but Genesee County left its 386 miles of gravel roads unposted.

Daly said he isn't expecting lower speed limits right away because townships aren't pushing for it yet and because police haven't laid out how they want to handle requests.

Township supervisors are expected to talk about the issue this month when they meet at the Road Commission.

Argentine Township Supervisor Robert Cole said he is not expecting big changes even though his township has more miles of gravel road, 45, than any other area in the county.

There just are not enough driveways, he said.

"There might be a couple - one or two areas - that this would apply to, (but not) most of my roads," said Cole, who supports lowering all gravel road speed limits to 45 mph.

Flushing Township Treasurer Carl G. Liepmann also said few, if any, roads there would meet the driveway requirements, and state police and the Road Commission can still veto what the township asks for.

"It looked like another way of saying townships can't make up their own minds," he said of the new law.

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Townships balk at having to cover roadwork overages

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, November 06, 2006
By Sally York
syork@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6322


GRAND BLANC TWP. - When a local road project goes over budget, who should pay?

Some residents say the bill should go to the Genesee County Road Commission, whose engineers estimate the cost.

"If the Road Commission makes a mistake, they should have to pay for it," declared retired diemaker George Russian, a resident since 1964.

"The township shouldn't be liable for any overrun."

Mundy Township was recently ordered to ante up $236,000 - half of the cost overrun on a road improvement project in the Coventry Farms subdivision.

On the heels of that unexpected bill, the Grand Blanc Township Board authorized its attorney to try to cap the township's share of any overage on an upcoming road project at 10 percent.

In the original contract drafted by the Road Commission, the township was obligated to pay 100 percent.

But the Road Commission is balking. John H. Daly III, director of the Road Commission, said a 10 percent cap would be illegal. "We just can't do that," he said. "It could put us in violation of state law."

He said the most the commission can contribute to a local road reconstruction project using Michigan Transportation Funds is 50 percent.

Lyndon Lattie, a township attorney, disagreed.

"The state law I read said the Road Commission has a legal duty to maintain and reconstruct local roads," he said.

He said the township has a duty to protect taxpayer dollars.

"We wouldn't be doing a good job for our client (the township) if we made it a blank check," he said.

"As indicated in the Mundy Township situation, these estimates can be way off."

Daly responded: "Those were unique circumstances particular to that project," adding that the overage was the Road Commission's largest in at least 15 years.

If that's true, said resident Robert Wilson, then the commission shouldn't have a problem accepting a 10 percent cap.

"The township should hold the county Road Commission accountable for the projections they make regarding costs and estimates," said Wilson, a former Planning Commission member.

"If (the commission) can't do the job within 10 percent of their estimate, there's something wrong with the way they're doing their job."

In a letter dated Oct. 25, Daly offered a compromise: The Road Commission would be willing to pay half.

He said the township has other options as well, including purchasing insurance to protect against incorrect estimates or hiring its own engineer to estimate costs.

Lattie said it will be up to Township Board members to decide whether equal sharing is acceptable and what other measures to take.

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Man, 64, on trial in death of road worker

FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
By Kim Crawford
kcrawford@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6242

A 64-year-old Atlas Township man with a driving record a judge described as "not good" was charged Tuesday in the June 22 death of a Genesee County Road Commission worker.

John R. Quillen was arraigned in Central District Court on charges of manslaughter and operating a motor vehicle and causing death while his driver's license was revoked or suspended in the death of Dennis Bundy, 48, of Flushing.

Bundy, who was standing by orange cones in a construction zone on M-15 in Atlas Township, was wearing a reflective vest and had a surveying stick when he was struck by a sport-utility vehicle allegedly driven by Quillen.

Quillen, a former carpenter and contractor, could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the charges.

Davison District Judge John L. Conover conducted Quillen's arraignment before a court packed with Bundy's family and friends. Conover set $100,000 10 percent bonds on both counts, which required Quillen to post a $20,000 bond before he was released from the custody of Genesee County Sheriff's deputies. He quickly posted the bond, said his attorney, Chuck Desotelle.

During the arraignment, Desotelle noted that Quillen has cooperated with authorities and argued he was not a flight risk, given that he's been married for 42 years, has had serious health issues and is the father of three.

He said Quillen's driving record was not a matter of alcohol or criminal violations, but because of "vision problems."

But on the question of bond, Conover said the charges against Quillen were serious felonies and he was concerned that Quillen might go out driving

"Not going to happen, your honor," Quillen answered.

Quillen faces a probable cause hearing on the charges in district court on Oct. 25.

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Sign with care
Even tragedy can't sway placement of traffic controls


FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, October 06, 2006

The Genesee County Road Commission needs to resist giving in to pressure - no matter how well intended - to add all-way stop signs at troublesome intersections where traffic deaths have occurred.

The commission is obligated to react scientifically, even if that risks seeming insensitive in the short term. John Daly, the commission's manager-director, is admirably holding the line while patiently trying to explain the complexities that go into making these decisions.

As Daly points out, the three- and four-way signage that some feel so strongly about could enhance driving dangers rather than reduce them. The commission is collecting data to help determine which is the case.

It's difficult because emotion and tragedy are helping to fuel the pressure. A request for a four-way stop at Hill and Elms roads in Mundy Township was prompted by the death of Fenton High School student Rachel Coe last December, and the fact that a fatal motorcycle accident had occurred there six months before.

The Mundy and Gaines township boards both asked for a four-way stop sign there, supported by petitions from Rachel's classmates. Driving southbound on Elms Road, she turned into the path of a pickup truck on Hill Road that was not required to stop. Daly is open-minded while data are gathered, and in the meantime has installed warning signs advising that Hill Road traffic does not stop. Whatever the ultimate decision on a four-way stop, he must live with the outcome.

Similarly, a pair of 2002 accidents about three months apart at Torrey and Lahring roads in Fenton Township - an intersection often used to reach three Lake Fenton schools - inspired Fenton Township Clerk Robert Krug to call for three-way stops there. Traffic control is to be bolstered by a yellow flashing light at that intersection, scheduled for installation next week, while traffic studies continue on whether to accede to Krug's request.

Like the other, it is motivated by a pure desire to save lives. But Daly's job is not to judge what are good intentions, but to foresee actual consequences. Sometimes that is lonely work.

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Roads chief details options for spending milage money


FLINT TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT TOWNSHIP NEWS
Sunday, October 01, 2006
By Jeff Smith
jfsmith@flinttownshipnews.com • 810.766.6328

FLINT TWP. - Divvying up nearly $5 million for township road construction is not an easy task, especially when at least $21 million is needed to complete all the work that needs to be done.

That's why John Daly, manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission, spoke at a special meeting of the Township Board on Monday night, to offer suggestions on how to divide the pie.

Voters approved a 0.5-mill road tax on Aug. 8, which will generate $4.8 million to repave neighborhood roads over the next 10 years. But Daly said it's barely enough to cover a quarter of the road work currently needed. And the township can't depend upon the road commission to come to its rescue, since it also lacks funding to repair all the roads on its to-do list, he said.

"There's no free lunches and there's no easy answer," Daly said. "Not unless someone is prepared to write a check for $21 million."

Daly offered four scenarios to consider, citing the pros and cons of each. Three of the options involved road work in the Western Hills subdivision that has been in the planning stages for the last 18 months. The options:

· The township could do the Western Hills job (with residents being assessed 75 percent of the cost), do some work on other main roads, and replace masonry catch basins on some streets with more durable precast ones.

But once completed, there will be little money left over for other projects, Daly warned. And the roads that go untouched would continue to crumble.

· The township could cover the complete cost of repairing Western Hills roads, but that would leave no funding to do any other projects.

· Western Hills (with residents shouldering 75 percent of the bill) will be completed along with other subdivision streets while ignoring the needs of main roads.

· The township could skip work on Western Hills, focusing attention solely on mainline roads.

Daly recommended the township go with the first option: Foot 25 percent of the cost for Western Hills, do work on other main roads and replace catch basins throughout the township.

While township officials did not vote on the matter, Supervisor Doug Carlton reiterated several times his stipulation that any plan include improving the roads of Western Hills.

One estimate projected the Western Hills residents would be assessed more than $2.1 million.

The township would cover the remaining 25 percent of the cost, or about $726,000.

"This is not the last conversation you'll have with the road commission," Daly said. "We plan to be an active partner in this."

While the road commission can not cover any of the construction costs, Daly later said the commission will handle the expenses of engineering studies and inspections for the township.

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Kettering student lightens paper load at Road Commission

FLINT TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, September 08, 2006
By Marjory Raymer
mraymer@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6325

FLINT - The paper trail at the Genesee County Road Commission is getting zapped, thanks to a little ingenuity and know-how by a Kettering University student.

Robin Mullonkal, 24, a senior at Kettering University, developed a new computer program to overhaul and speed up purchases.

Right now, all requests are done on paper, which is passed from desk to desk for approval and can easily take the better part of a work week, if not all of one.

Mullonkal's software instead creates an internal, e-mail-based system that automatically puts requests - for everything from pencils to consulting services - in front of the right person. And it shows how much is in the budget and automatically deducts approved purchases from the budget's bottom line.

"It will definitely increase productivity. It will definitely cut down on delay time," said Mullonkal, who grew up in Sterling Heights.

Mullonkal is expecting to graduate in March with a degree in computer science and computer engineering. He's been a co-op student at the Road Commission since 2002 - alternating between working there and school studies every three months.

From the very first meeting where the idea was discussed to its completion took about a year to a year and a half, he said. He is using the project as his final thesis toward graduation, which already has been stamped approved.

"He's always looking for ways to improve the system," said Robert Slattery, director of information systems and planning for the Road Commission.

The system is now in the testing stage and is being gradually introduced to other employees for use.

He gave road commissioners a presentation on his efforts, and they applauded his work - especially the system's security and budget implications.

"That's the way we want it," said John H. Daly III, manager-director of the Road Commission. "It will be a good tool."

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Tax shift woud spend sewer funds on road repairs

FLINT TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, July 17, 2006
By Joe Lawlor
jlawlor@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6312

QUICK TAKE

On the ballot The polls will be open on Aug. 8 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m., and Flint Township voters will decide whether to shift 0.5 mills that previously went to sewer construction to road improvements. The plan would pay for $4.8 million in road repairs over the next 10 years. To find out your polling location, call (810) 732-1350 ext. 104.

FLINT TWP. - Junior Dennie said the road he lives on is so bumpy that a pothole he hit ruined the rim on the wheel of his Saturn.

He bought another rim for $75 at a salvage yard, so he's in favor of a plan by township leaders to shift money from sewer debt to a neighborhood road resurfacing program.

The money shift, if approved by voters on Aug. 8, would free up $4.8 million to pay for neighborhood roads.

"My road (Westwood Drive) hasn't been fixed in the 10 years I've lived here," Dennie said. "They have to do something. It's going to save you money on your cars in the long run."

If residents do not approve the tax shift, property owners would save $27.50 per year on a $110,000 house.

The tax would replace a 0.5-mill tax for sewer construction that is set to expire this year. The township has 89 miles of paved roads, and about one-third of the roads need repair.

"There's bad roads all over the township," said Trustee Tracey Tucker, who supports the millage.

But Trustee John MacGillivray said he has reservations about the plan.

"There's certainly not enough information on it. It's very speculative, and all of the subdivisions will want to be the first to get their roads done," MacGillivray said.

If voters approve the shift, a nine-member committee would be formed, consisting of seven residents and two trustees. The committee would decide what roads to repair and when over the next 10 years.

MacGillivray said he's also concerned that if residents approve the tax, the Genesee County Road Commission might reduce the township's allotment for road repairs.

"They're going to see that we have this big pot of money, so they might give our money to some poor township that doesn't have any money," said MacGillivray, who reluctantly voted to place the plan before voters.

But John Daly III, manager-director of the road commission, said Flint Township still would receive the $60,000-$80,000 per year in matching money to pay for road repairs.

"Flint Township would be taking a fairly progressive step, and we would not punish them for that," Daly said.

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Deadly driving must stop to get roads fixed

THE FLINT JOURNAL LETTER TO
THE EDITOR MUNDY TOWNSHIP FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, July 6, 2006
By Marsha M. Keeler

Last month, we at the Genesee County Road Commission suffered a terrible tragedy in the loss of our friend and co-worker, Dennis Bundy, a great guy with a beautiful family. The sadness runs deep, with anger running a close second. The public wants (and deserves) safe roads to travel on, yet doesn't want the "inconvenience" of the work it takes to make them so. As an employee whose job requires working on the roadway, not a day goes by that I (and I'm sure all of my co-workers) don't see several irresponsible drivers behind the wheel of a 3,000-pound potential "killing machine." So many drivers are aggressive and belligerent. We try to make ourselves as visible as possible, but they totally ignore our signs and flashers. They refuse to slow down and move over, often yelling obscenities and making lewd gestures, often with children in their vehicles, setting an excellent example and perpetuating their behavior in the next generation. Whether you know us or not, we all have families we want to return to every night in one piece; we all have lives we'd like to live, children to raise, plans to fulfill. Our job is not to detain you in your travels or to anger you by blocking or holding up traffic. We are out there trying to make the roads as safe as possible for everyone.Please extend to us the courtesy of helping to make our work environment as safe as possible so we can do just that. Marsha M. Keeler Mundy Township.

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Family man gone
400 mourners, 20 road vehicles honor fallen worker


FLUSHING
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By Beata Mostafavi
bmostafavi@flintjournal.com o 810.766.6210

FLUSHING - Dennis Bundy's last night with his family was a happy time. Bundy played Frisbee in the yard with his son, Carter, 16, and some of Carter's buddies before cooking chicken and baked potatoes on the grill. He shared chuckles with the family when daughter Colby, 13, told him how goofy his jokes were. Then his wife of 20 years, Pattie, kissed him goodnight.

About 9:30 a.m. the next day, Thursday, Bundy was killed while working for the Genesee County Road Commission when he was hit by a vehicle during a routine engineering operation on M-15 in Atlas Township. Bundy, 48, of Flushing was hit by a sport-utility vehicle driven by an Atlas Township man with a revoked license. Bundy was hit in the southbound lane and thrown into the path of oncoming traffic in the northbound lane.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Tuesday the case remains under investigation. The SUV driver could face felony charges.
Bundy's family will remember the good memories he left behind, the Rev. Roy Horning said Tuesday during Bundy's funeral at St. Robert Catholic Church in Flushing.

"(He was) always directing, encouraging and being with family," Horning told the crowd of more than 400 people. Lining the curb on Cherry Street and winding around the corner outside the church were more than 20 vehicles, representing Genesee, Shiawassee and Huron counties' road commissions. The pickups and heavy-duty trucks topped by blinking yellow lights were part of a long processional following the funeral. The Genesee County Road Commission office closed for about three hours during the funeral.

After the funeral, John Daly, the road panel's manager-director, said an annual safety training day will be dedicated to Bundy, and officials are looking into the possibility of naming a bridge in his honor. He said the commission, which hadn't had a death on the job in more than 20 years, will conduct a complete review of all of its safety procedures in light of the incident.

Bundy reportedly was wearing a reflective vest the morning he died, and his position was marked by orange cones. "You can't be too safe," Daly said, adding "Dennis was a great loss to the Road Commission, as he was to his family. They will always be a part of the Road Commission family."

During the service, Horning recalled Pattie Bundy's account of how she met her husband. She "stalked and watched" the "good-looking guy" who lived down the street from her sister for some time, he said.
She finally asked him out, and the couple married two years later on Valentine's Day in 1986.

After the funeral, Pattie Bundy said she will miss hearing her husband's mantra, "You know the rules," and his encouragement, such as his pushing her to follow through with her goal to train for the Crim race.
"His family loved him very much," she said. "You could just tell from the funeral he was well-loved, and he's going to be missed incredibly."


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Driver who hit worker had no license


ATLAS TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, June 23, 2006
By Ken Palmer
kpalmer@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6313

ATLAS TWP. - A man whose vehicle hit a Genesee County Road Commission worker Thursday morning on M-15 was driving on a revoked license and could face felony charges, police said.

Dennis Bundy, 48, of Flushing was killed when the man's sport-utility vehicle struck him in the southbound lane and threw him into the path of a northbound vehicle.

The incident occurred about 9:30 a.m. during a routine engineering operation on the highway, just south of Maple Avenue.

Police have not released the name of the SUV driver, but they said he is in his 60s and lives in Atlas Township.

The driver was booked at the county jail and released pending further investigation, Genesee County Sheriff's Capt. Chris Swanson said.

Bundy was standing in the southbound lane, holding a surveying stick, when he was hit by the SUV, deputies said. He was wearing a reflective vest, with his position marked by orange cones.

There were no lane-diversions or road work signs to mark his presence, Swanson said, but regardless of the circumstances, the driver has "some culpability" because his license was revoked.

Driving on a suspended or revoked license causing death is a felony in Michigan punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The county prosecutor's office will determine what, if any, charges are warranted in the accident, Swanson said.

John H. Daly III, manager-director of the Road Commission, said Bundy and another engineering inspector were reconfirming the position of the road in preparation for a curbing project there.

Bundy was the first Road Commission worker to die on the job during his tenure, Daly said. In 2000, a Road Commission worker was severely injured on I-75, he said.

Bundy, who was married and the father of two children, came to the Road Commission in June 2001 after working for the city of Flint, Daly said. His brother, John, is a Flint police sergeant.

"Dennis was an outstanding employee," Daly said. "Certainly, his loss will be felt by his family and also by his professional family at the Road Commission."

M-15 was closed for about three hours after the crash.

This article mirrored from MLive, and the origonal can be found here. The article is copyright © 2006 Flint Journal.

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Unlicensed drivers
road worker's death spotlights a persistent problem


FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Genesee County Road Commission worker Dennis Bundy's death on M-15 last week demands a critique of the consequences - or lack thereof - that law enforcement delivers for driving on a revoked license. Bundy was struck by a driver of that status, which knocked him into path of oncoming traffic in Atlas Township.

The prosecutor is determining whether criminal charges are warranted in light of a state law making it a felony for a driver whose license was suspened or revoked to cause a vehicular death. But a revoked license points to a pattern of gross infractions. Why did this driver presume that he could get away with taking a spin in spite of it? And could there have been a way to deprive him of the opportunity?

We hear often that the Genesee County Jail lacks sufficient space for putting innumerable offenders off the street, let alone those who break traffic laws - even if they do so incorrigibly. So even the most egregious unlicensed driver, if caught, might simply wind up with a ticket to appear before a judge, and may or may not bother to show up.

If jail is truly not an option for those driving illegally, then perhaps their vehicles ought to be mechanically disabled or even impounded with the understanding the owners would be responsible for the costs incurred.
Family and friends with clean driving records might share those same vehicles and rely on them heavily, so any such policy could wind up imposing unjust penalties. But where was justice for Bundy?

The driver of the SUV faces consequences now, including a possible prison sentence along with the certain horror of reliving for the rest of his days that fateful moment when he encountered Bundy.

The unfolding investigation will reveal just what caused the law to take the extreme penalty of revocation. But for Bundy and many others killed and maimed by chronically dangerous and unlicensed drivers, it was insufficient.



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Mr. Dennis Bundy

BUNDY, Dennis Ward - Loving husband, father and friend to everyone, born July 17, 1958, was taken home to a better place on June 22, 2006. His life short-lived but well served, Dennis leaves his wife of 20 years, Patricia (Carter); son, Carter Jacob (16); and daughter, Colby Lynn (13). Dennis was a young retiree from the City of Flint after 20 years of service, followed by 5 years with LCC Surveying before accepting a position with the Genesee County Road Commission, where he's been for the past 4 years. He was a devoted husband and father who would do anything for his wife and family. He was strongly supportive of and active in his son's academic and athletic abilities, and he was, although a bit hesitant that his baby girl was growing up, very proud and protective of her as she continues to grow into a beautiful woman. Dennis loved the Lord with all his heart, and we take solace in that we can rejoice in his happiness as he continues to watch over us. Dennis loved life, his family and many friends, and will be sadly, sadly missed. Besides his wife and children, surviving relatives include: mother, Genevieve Bundy; brother, Bob Bundy (Lynn) of Vicksburg; sister, Linda NaDell (Gary) of Otisville; brothers, Dan Bundy (Tresa) of Davison, John Bundy (Anne) of Flint, Jim Bundy (Vicki) of Berthoud, CO, Ken Bundy (Linda) of Cota De Casa, CA, Chris Bundy (Rebecca) of Mt. Pleasant; in-laws, Bob and Jackie Carter of Swartz Creek, Nancy Walter (Arthur) of Swartz Creek, Donna Frase (Jerry) of Flint, Jennifer Jewell (Michael) of Flint; and many nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved very much. Dennis was preceded in death by his father, Robert Bundy, whom he greatly missed, but is now reunited. Funeral services will be held 11AM Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at St. Robert Catholic Church, Fr. Roy Horning officiating. Entombment will follow at New Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be Noon-4PM and 6-8PM Sunday and Monday at Rossell Funeral Home. A Vigil for the Deceased will be 7PM Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a scholarship fund for his children.

 

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Road funding a good step

FLINT JOURNAL LETTER TO THE EDITOR
FLUSHING TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
JOURNAL READER

 

Earlier this month in Lansing, in my capacity as president of the County Road Association of Michigan and manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission, I participated in a news conference with Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

At this news conference, Gov. Granholm announced that she is proposing legislation which will help Michigan cities and counties to pay the local match portion on additional federal highway projects this year and in 2007.

Her proposal has been introduced as a bill by Sen. Michael Prusi, D-Ishpeming, and calls for the state to provide the matching funding to local units of government through bonds or grants so that almost $400 million in additional road projects can be accomplished over the next two years.

A unique aspect of this proposal is that these additional highway and transit projects will be selected by the local units of government rather than the Michigan Department of Transportation or other level of state government.

Since the emphasis is on making the dirt fly as soon as possible, the result could be the creation of as many as 7,200 new jobs in Michigan over the next two years.

While the program is not a final solution for the long-term shortfall of road and transit funding, the governor's proposal does represent an innovative step in the right direction.

Her proposal is unprecedented both at the state and federal level. It is the best thing that has happened to public road projects in Michigan during the past 15 years.

John H. Daly III

Flushing

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Low-salt roads keep environment, budget fit

GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, February 19, 2006
By Elizabeth Shaw
eshaw@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6311

Quick Take

Not so salty Here's a comparison of Genesee County road salt usage since new application methods went into place in 2004: JAN. 16-31, 2003: 2,442.05 tons over 411 lane miles. Average 5.94 tons per mile. JAN. 8-21, 2006: 1,121.53 tons over 688.62 lane miles. Average 1.63 tons per mile. Be careful what you spread When it comes to thawing your own sidewalk or driveway, note that some home de-icing products on store shelves have exotic ingredient lists and lengthy warnings. Experts advise sticking to plain sodium or calcium chloride. "Use elbow grease first, and try to get to the stuff before it freezes," said Dr. Martin Kaufman, a professor of earth and resource science at the University of Michigan-Flint. "And I'd never recommend using anything with a scary warning label."

GENESEE COUNTY - Sure, we all know cutting salt from our diets is good for a healthy heart. Turns out cutting salt from our roads is good for a healthy environment and pocketbook.

That's what's happening in Genesee County, where this winter the Road Commission is in the middle of spreading an estimated 50,000 tons of road salt. If that sounds like a lot, consider that it's far less than the county used to spread.

Road Commission Manager-Director John Daly says that over the past three winters, improved equipment and application methods have reduced the county's salt consumption by thousands of tons a year.

Of course, drivers may be more interested in whether there's enough salt being spread.

"As far as I'm concerned, sometimes they can't get it down soon enough," said Reggie Jones of Swartz Creek.

In line at the Wizard Wash in Mundy Township last week, Jones said he doesn't mind a few extra trips to the car wash to hose off all that salt. He can still remember what happened five years ago when he lost control on a slippery patch of I-94 in Clinton Township.

"Before I could do anything about it, I slid right off the road. I got two flat tires and had to get towed out. I ended up this far from a tree," he said.

With concerns over cost, safety and the environment, road de-icing is complicated.

"We don't believe in just throwing the salt down. First, because it's not cost-effective, but also because we're sensitive to fisheries issues and other environmental concerns," said Daly. "The trick is to put down just enough to do the job - but no more."

That's a fine line to walk, agreed environmental experts.

"Unlike a lot of other pollutants, it's a tough choice between public safety and longer term environmental concerns," said Dr. Martin Kaufman, a professor of earth and resource science at the University of Michigan-Flint. "Especially when we're talking about schoolchildren on buses, it's not a slam-dunk case (to cut salt)."

"Everybody's aware of it, but no one really talks about it because it's such a necessity here in Michigan," agreed Genesee County Drain Commission engineer Susanne Kubic, who is working on watershed management plans for the Flint and Shiawassee rivers. "It's something we have to have until something better comes along."

That doesn't mean salt is harmless to the environment.

On the contrary, a Michigan Department of Transportation report indicates that high chloride levels can leave small bodies of water starved of oxygen, and can interfere with plants' ability to take up water. During spring thaws, chloride levels in streams can temporarily surge to toxic levels for aquatic life.

"There are places along I-75 up north where you can see where the tamarack trees have died off because of road salt run-off," said Kaufman. "But a lot depends on where you're laying it down, in what concentrations and in what frequency. That's why, nowadays, road crews go through safe-salting training so they don't over-apply it."

Bigger issues come after the road salt has vanished.

"When the salt gets into the soil, that's where the real cost comes in. It's down there eating at fiber optic cables, underground electric lines and traffic signal wires, gnawing away at bridges and overpasses," said Kaufman. "With a lot of older cities with old infrastructure, it's literally pouring salt on the wound."

So what about the alternatives?

Sand - while cheap and chemically harmless - clogs drainage ditches, creating huge clean-up costs. Besides, soil erosion and sediment run-off are the most serious problems impacting our watershed, said Kubic.

Most alternatives are far more expensive and come in liquid form that would require a costly new fleet of tanker trucks and liquid storage facilities. Many also carry their own environmental impact concerns.

"The bottom line for us is cost-effectiveness, and MDOT has not yet found an alternative that can compete," said Daly.

Instead, the answer has been improved storage and application to lower the amount of road salt used.

Salt trucks are now equipped with computerized counters that allow drivers to control the amount of salt spread from inside the truck cab.

Spot treatment with special compounds helps slow ice formation on bridges and overpasses.

Storage methods have improved, too.

The county has six enclosed salt barns: Oakley Street in Flint; Morrish Road at I-69 in Swartz Creek; Seymour Road, south of M-57 in Montrose Township; State and Vienna roads in Forest Township; Hegal and Gale roads in Atlas Township; and Silver Lake Road near Hogan Road in Linden.

The Flint and Swartz Creek barns have concrete walls and floors, with sewer drains to prevent stormwater run-off. Plans are under way to replace another metal barn this year, said Road Commission maintenance director Anthony Branch.

As for the other big salt question - "When will they get to my road?" - well, Daly points out that the county de-ices nearly 4,000 lane miles of county roads and 650 lane miles of state trunk lines.

"To hit every place in the county one time would be like driving across the entire U.S. and halfway back again. Remember that," he joked, "the next time you're wondering why the salt truck hasn't been down your road yet."

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Builders shiver under road frost restrictions

GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
By Marjory Raymer
mraymer@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6325

GENESEE COUNTY - Local builders, frustrated by burdensome frost and weight restrictions, called on road commissioners Tuesday to ease rules that they say cost them money and hurt the economy.

Frost restrictions are used every year to try to protect vulnerable roads from damage. They can force some contractors to use smaller vehicles or keep them off job sites entirely. Both options cost time and money and can force layoffs.

"We really need to get things moving," said Barry Simon, executive director of the Builders Association of Metropolitan Flint. "Residential construction has been the lifeblood of this community."

Frost restrictions went into effect Monday, two weeks earlier than normal. It came as a shock to builders because the move coincided with the return of freezing temperatures after a record-warm January.

Simon said the restrictions came as a double whammy to builders because the warm and wet January turned construction sites to mud and left contractors hoping for the freeze.

"We're just trying to make a living," Steve Steffey, a Burton developer, said at Tuesday's Genesee County Road Commission meeting.

Frost restrictions are designed to protect road surfaces. They are put in place not when the ground frosts, but when the frost is only partially thawed. The soft ground leaves roads prone to crumbling under the weight of heavy trucks.

"Until the frost freezes again, the roads are at risk," said Michael Mansfield, director of traffic engineering and permits for the Genesee County Road Commission.

John H. Daly III, manager-director of the Road Commission, agreed to increase testing of frost levels from once to twice a week and even daily if reports started showing the restrictions could soon be lifted.

But, he warned that air temperature does not directly correlate to soil temperature, so there is no way to predict if and when the restrictions could be lifted even if the area sees below-freezing temperatures.

"The Road Commission has absolutely no interest in keeping those frost limits one second longer than necessary," Daly said.

Steffey also asked the commission to consider speed restrictions only, without the weight restrictions, and Daly said he would see if it's legal to do so.

There is considerably less frost in the ground than usual - 13 to 36 inches, when it often is twice that amount.

Tests last week showed the frost becoming thawed, or honeycombed, and the restrictions were put in place. The road panel gave contractors three days' advance notice, Daly said.

If the frost becomes solid again, the restrictions could be lifted before the spring thaw, Daly said.

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Retired UAW Activist Named to Road Commission


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317

About Billy W. Bradshaw

Grand Blanc Township resident and Louisiana native. Flint Northern High School graduate. Retired in 2003 as international representative at UAW Region 1-C, former president of UAW Local 659 and former chairman of the board of the Model Cities Development Corp. Married with two children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild

GENESEE COUNTY - Billy W. Bradshaw, a retired UAW activist, is the county's new road commissioner.

Bradshaw, 68, was elected after four rounds of voting by county Board of Commissioners. After a short recess, Bradshaw got enough votes on the fifth ballot, settling what has been a difficult appointment.

The commissioners' first choice - Harold McIntyre, a member of the Westwood Heights Board of Education - resigned before attending a single meeting because of conflicts with his job at The Flint Journal.

"I don't have a preconceived impression" of what needs to be done, Bradshaw said of his new position. "I'll go in with an open mind.

"I won't be critical, but I'll say so when there can be some improvement. My hopes are that I can make a contribution -not be a fly on the wall."

Bradshaw never applied for the position but was appointed over 11 other candidates who did.

Commissioner Rose Bogardus, D-Davison, walked out of Tuesday's meeting once it became clear Bradshaw would be picked, but she wouldn't comment on why she left without voting.

In initial votes, support was split between Valaria Conerly Moon, a former Valley Area Agency on Aging executive, and James A. Pomeroy of Thetford Township, a former Road Commission employee.

Bogardus, who supported Pomeroy, has said the east side of the county has historically been poorly represented on the road panel.

Commissioner Miles Gadola, R-Grand Blanc, started the swing of support to Bradshaw by nominating him after initially backing Pomeroy.

"I like the idea of someone from my area" getting the spot, Gadola said. "Grand Blanc has as many, if not more, road issues" than other areas.

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Appointee Won't Take Road Commission Seat


HOMETOWN HEADLINES
GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317


GENESEE COUNTY - A Westwood Heights Board of Education member is leaving the Genesee County Road Commission days after having been appointed and without ever participating in a meeting of the panel.

Harold McIntyre, community services coordinator for The Flint Journal, said he won't be able to take on the position because of conflicts with his job.

McIntyre, 58, a member of the Westwood Heights school board, beat out 11 other candidates in being appointed to the road panel by the county Board of Commissioners.

County board Chairman Richard E. Hammel, D-Mt. Morris Twp., said commissioners will likely pick McIntyre's successor from the previous 11 candidates.

Road commissioners earn $6,000 per year and set road, bridge and ditching priorities and policies for the agency, which has a $62.8-million budget.

- Ron Fonger

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County Names New Road Panel Member

GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317


About Harold McIntyre

AGE: 56 HOMETOWN: Born in Flint; lives in Mt. Morris Township PROFESSION: Community services coordinator for The Flint Journal EDUCATION: Flint Northern High School graduate; associate's degree from George Washington University FAMILY: Married, three children

GENESEE COUNTY - A Westwood Heights Board of Education member has been appointed to the county Road Commission, beating out 11 other candidates for the influential job.


Harold McIntyre, community services coordinator for The Flint Journal, won the position Tuesday after four rounds of voting by the county Board of Commissioners.

McIntyre, 56, said he goes into the position with an open mind and a lifetime of local driving experience.

"I think overall our roads are good, ... but there are some improvements that need to be made," he said.

Commissioners picked McIntyre for the position from a crowded field that included Albert Watkins, former director of Flint Township's Central Business Development Authority, and Valaria Conerly Moon, former executive director of the Valley Area Agency on Aging.

U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Flint, lobbied on Watkins' behalf. Watkins was hurt, however, by the fact that another member of the three-person Road Commission is also from Flint Township.

Watkins told commissioners he was up to the job. He left quietly after the vote.

Commissioners Raynetta P. Speed and Woodrow Stanley, both Flint Democrats, voted for Moon through all four rounds of voting. McIntyre won 6-2. Commissioner Ted Hammon, D-Burton, was not at Tuesday's meeting.

Road commissioners earn $6,000 per year and set priorities and policies for the agency, which has a $62.8-million budget in the current fiscal year.

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Less Snow Means More Filling On Area Roads


GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Saturday, January 14, 2006
By Marjory Raymer
mraymer@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6325
Sure, it's January but with no snow who can help but have a little spring in their step - and bumps in their road.

The unseasonably warm temperatures may be a pleasant surprise to most, but they also are wreaking havoc on the roads.

"We're used to seeing this more toward spring," said Kay Bradley, secretary at Genesee County Courier, a delivery service on Dye Road. She said drivers resorted to the weave and dodge technique to avoid some of the worst spots.


She said Ballenger Highway south of Miller Road is especially bad and she's seen road crews out there repeatedly trying to keep the surface up.

The water expands and contracts along with the thaw freeze cycle, undermining road integrity and causing potholes.

Especially hard hit are dirt roads.

"It's turned into soupy mess, that's for sure," said Paul J. Fortino, Gaines Township supervisor, who lives on one of the township's 37.5 miles of dirt roads. "The country's nice and this is one of the prices you pay."

On Cook Road near the Shiawassee County line, resident Beth Roberts said you can see the gravel road deteriorate a little bit more with each freeze and thaw.

"It would only take a few more days like this for it to be impassable," said Roberts, a homemaker. "You have to idle down the road and sometimes that's too fast."

Residents there have complained about the poor condition of the road for at least a year. Sometimes, winter driving is actually easier because the packed snow levels out the surface, Roberts said.

Road Commission Manager-Director John H. Daly III said crews freed from snow removal are instead busy patching and sealing potholes and even grading some gravel roads.

"I've been here six years and I have not seen anything like this since I've been here," Daly said.

And this weird mid-winter weather is expected to continue for at least a week, said meteorologist Dennis Dixon of the National Weather Service.

Temperatures will continue to drop below freezing at night and rise above the 32-degree mark during the day. A cold front that could momentarily keep temperatures freezing is expected Wednesday, but by Friday it should be back up, said Dixon, who has no complaints over the weather.

"If it's going to be above normal temperatures, I'd just as soon have it be in January than July," he said.

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Relatively Low Fuel Taxes Keep Michigan From Catching Up


THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, January 11, 2006


With the numerous orange barrels, closed lanes and detours Genesee County motorists cope with every construction season, it would seem road agencies were making headway on the backlog of repairs. No way, nohow.

And we might as well get used to enduring these conditions all across Michigan without a substantial boost in gasoline and diesel taxes that are far lower here than in some neighboring states with better roads.

Local drivers know only too well the consequences of this inadequate revenue, which explains why a recent report on the poor condition of Genesee County roads surprised virtually no one.


Nearly 15 percent of more than 155 miles of generally primary roadway surveyed last year was deemed failing. This was an increase over 2004 and 2003, when the yearly reviews began under state legislation passed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the quality of Michigan roads.

Furthermore, that 15 percent is an overall number, masking vast differences among municipalities. For instance, 45.7 percent of the roads surveyed in Genesee Township were failing, but Flushing Township had none rated that poorly. While that disparity may seem unfair, limited repair dollars result in the Road Commission spending its money where it will benefit the most people, which is not necessarily fixing the most damaged pavement.

But are we doing the best we can? Debate, of course, is always valid over the management of public money. Yet even getting more bang from the $3 billion spent annually by the Michigan Department of Transportation and local road agencies - with some of this money going to rail, transit and airport systems, too - won't make up for the inadequacy of revenue.

Consider that Michigan's gas tax has been frozen at 19 cents a gallon since 1997, and the Legislature irresponsibly keeps the diesel tax 4 cents lower in deference to the trucking industry, despite the disproportionate share of damage it causes.

Neighboring Ohio, meanwhile, has a 28-cent-a-gallon tax for each, and in Wisconsin it's 32.9 cents for both. Indiana and Illinois are more comparable on gasoline taxes, but they soak commercial vehicles on diesel fuel, taking advantage of heavy traffic passing though.

It's no wonder that Michigan can't match their pace on repairs, with the possible exception of the 9,400 miles of major roads MDOT handles. Those thoroughfares receive three-fourths of the $1 billion in annual federal highway money and about 40 percent of the state-generated revenue. Road commissions, cities and villages get most of the remainder for the 110,000 miles of streets they maintain.

It's an impossible job for many of them, which explains why road interests want about a 10-cent-a-gallon hike in fuel taxes. No one expects the Legislature to go along with any increase soon, which means Michigan will have to keep up the best it can on repairs, while really not keeping up at all.

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Argentine

ARGENTINE TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
By Robert Snell
rsnell@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6302
QUICK TAKE
New tax

The Township Board on Monday narrowly approved a new $175 tax for property owners who live along dirt roads, while those with vacant lots will pay half. The tax would pay to apply gravel and limestone to some or all of the township's dirt roads.

ARGENTINE TWP. - Supervisor Bob Cole's gravel gamble to repair dirt roads, which includes a new tax, lacks concrete plans, some Township Board members said.

The board Monday narrowly approved a $175 tax that will be paid by residents who live along dirt roads for gravel and limestone applications and ditches.

The new seven-year tax was part of a slate of tax assessments approved.

The board increased police and fire taxes by a combined $30. The $120 police and $130 fire taxes will help pay for equipment and maintenance and will raise an extra $83,000 a year.

Cole's idea involves mining gravel from a local Genesee County Road Commission pit, processing it and having it hauled and applied to local roads.

The new road tax would raise about $1.1 million.

But dissenting board members - Clerk Joe Graves and Treasurer Norm Schmidt - preferred having a plan that prioritized roads. And they said it is unknown if $1.1 million is enough money to improve approximately 46 miles of dirt roads in the township - the most countywide.

Cole said he would formalize and submit a plan for board approval at a later date. Trustees Jason King and Bob Longlois, along with Cole, voted for the road-improvement tax.

If the project is too expensive, the money could be returned to residents, Cole added.

Resident Bob Magnan embraced the road-improvement idea, but questioned the costs.

"I'm concerned about how the money gets spent if you can't justify what the costs are," he said.

The clerk and treasurer, although saying they thought the tax was premature, nonetheless expressed faith in Cole and that he would devise a plan.

Cole said delays would only increase costs.

"The only way (to fix roads) is to reach into your wallet and pay," he said.

During Cole's previous stint as supervisor in the late 1990s, he launched a plan that used gravel from the pit. The plan improved more than 20 miles of road for about $301,000, he said.

The $175 tax is on top of the $75 residents will pay to have chloride applied to dirt roads to minimize dust. The $75 fee is $10 more than residents paid last year.

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Commuting


FLINT JOURNAL COLUMN
GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, January 02, 2005
By Robert Snell
JOURNAL COLUMNIST


Commuters sick of highway backups and stretches of roads with more red lights than a Christmas tree will love the state's holiday gift to local drivers.

This year, the state will unveil a $2.2-million plan to build changeable message signs -?ike those in the Detroit area - alerting motorists to traffic jams and synchronizing traffic lights along Genesee County's busiest corridors.

The plan includes three message signs: On northbound I-75 south of I-475; on southbound I-75 north of I-475; and on westbound I-69 east of I-475.


"The biggest benefit is commuters will definitely see significant reduction of wait times," said Derek Bradshaw, a senior planner with the Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission.

The signs will be triggered by a device in the pavement that measures speed. When speeds slow, the signs will alert drivers to the congestion and suggest alternate routes, Bradshaw said.

The other component is using computers to coordinate traffic lights on some roads to improve traffic flow and trim commuting times, he said.

Those corridors include:

- Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc from Center Road south to Bella Vista Drive and Holly Road at Jewett Trail.

- Dort Highway between Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc Township and Mt. Morris Road in Genesee Township.

- Corunna Road between Morrish Road in Clayton Township and Ballenger Highway in Flint.

- Hill Road between Torrey Road in Mundy Township and Saginaw Road in Grand Blanc Township.

- Pierson Road between Elms and Clio roads in Mt. Morris Township.

- Main Street in Flushing from Maple Street to McKinley Avenue.

The projects are federally funded and could be finished by next fall, Bradshaw said.

The Genesee County Road Commission would also like to include a stretch of notoriously clogged Miller Road, he said.

What do you put in your bag?Flint Township commuter Sam Wells said he packs a bad-weather bag for the 100-mile drive to his job at Delphi Corp. in Troy.

The Global Business Systems and Process manager brings the standard change of clothes and an encyclopedic knowledge of gas stations between home and Troy. And he never lets the gas tank get below one-quarter full.

But it's what else he packs that is important.

"Patience - I pack it each morning and evening," Wells, 49, wrote in an e-mail. "I let the overly aggressive drivers pass by."

He also passes the time listening to the Tom Joyner radio show in the morning and books on tape at night.

There's more.

"Prayer - I ask the Lord for a safe journey each and every day," he wrote.

What do you think?

-- TOOT YOUR HORN: Share your commuting stories or whatever's on your mind. Reach me at: rsnell@flintjournal.com or (810) 766-6302.

Commuting appears every other Sunday on page A3.

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Michigan Road Money to be Tight


Friday, November 12, 2004
By Sarah Kellogg
Booth Newspapers - Washington Bureau


WASHINGTON - U.S. highway construction and maintenance work is expected to grow by 4.5 percent next year, but not in Michigan where officials say they'll have to get by on 2003 spending levels.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association,