How do I make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request?
As a governmental agency, the Washtenaw County Road Commission is required to comply with the
Public Act 442 of 1976, the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA).
If you are interested in obtaining documents that fall within the requirements of the FOIA, you may submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
in writing to the Washtenaw County Road Commission, 555 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, Attention: FOIA Coordinator.
(FOIA
Request Form)
Please be advised that upon receipt of a FOIA request, the Road Commission has five business days in which to respond (six business days if received via fax or email), in accordance with the Act, and the requesting party will be charged for research time and copies of any documents requested. If an extension of time is necessary in order to fulfill a FOIA request, the Road Commission will notify the requesting party in writing, at which time an additional ten business days will be permitted to the agency, in accordance with the Act.
For further questions, please email the WCRC at:
FOIA Coordinator
Approved minutes from the Board meetings may be obtained on the agenda page of our website. Minutes are available following the meeting at which they are approved by the Board of County Road Commissioners. If you would like to receive archived Minutes that are not available on our website, please submit a
FOIA Request, as instructed above.
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What do you do if there is a dead animal in the road?
If it is a large animal we will remove it from the roadway, which means we move it out the driving publics’ way. There is no agency in Washtenaw County that removes dead animals from the roadway.
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Do you remove dead trees and do you replace dead trees. Also what if the roots are coming up through my sidewalk?
If the tree is completely dead and in the ROW, we will remove the tree. We do not replace trees and request that you do not plant or landscape in the ROW. Sidewalks are the homeowner's responsibility; we do not repair and/or replace sidewalks.
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We all pay property tax, why is that not enough to cover fixing the roads?
The property tax you pay is used for your local and county governmental units and for schools, not for roads. The Road Commission budget is funded mostly by the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.
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What should be kept in mind when shoveling/plowing driveways?
Homeowners should be aware that shoveling or plowing snow from driveways onto or across roads is illegal (Act 82 of 1978, vehicle code 257.677A) because it can present a serious traffic hazard to motorists. Instead, pile the snow behind the curb or shoulder on your side of the road.
Be sure to place snow to the right as you face the road, so plows will push it away from, rather back into, the driveway entrance. It is also important to avoid vision obstructions. Care should be taken not to impede the flow of storm water from melting snow in the ditches or culverts. Citizens should also make certain that their trash containers are not placed too close to the edge of the road before snow removal has taken place.
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How much tax do I pay per gallon of gasoline?
The amount of tax paid per gallon of gas consists of 19 cents for state tax and 18.3 cents for federal tax. The sale of gasoline is also subject to 6 percent sales tax in Michigan, however, this amount is not used for transportation improvements.
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Why are weight restrictions placed on county roads each spring?
Roads thaw out from the top down each spring and moister is trapped on the surface. Heavy loads cause the break-up of gravel and bituminous surfaces during this thawing period.
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How close to the road can I place landscaping or fixtures?
Normally the distance is 33 feet from the center of the road; however, there are exceptions depending which road you reside on.
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How does the Road Commission determine when and where to put traffic signals?
A traffic control signal should not be installed unless an engineering study indicates that installing a traffic control signal will improve the overall safety and/or operation of the intersection.
The engineering study includes the evaluation of warrants (guidelines) identified in the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD). The warrants consider vehicular and pedestrian volumes, crash history, vehicle delay and vehicular progression.
Prior to the installation of a traffic control signal, the roadway may need improvements to provide acceptable traffic operations at the intersection.
Finally, adequate funding must be available to finance the installation of traffic control signal and nay necessary roadway improvements.
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How are speed limits determined and by whom?
As of November 9, 2006 a new prema facie law was adopted by the Michigan legislature allowing speed limits to be set according to road type and access points (Michigan Vehicle Code, Act 300, Section 257.627.) An engineering study may still be required.
A common misconception is that the Road Commission has the authority to install speed limit signs at its descretion. Before a speed limit sign can be posted or changed, a joint "speed study" must be conducted involing the township, the Michigan State Plicy, and the Road Commission unless the road falls under the prima facie law.
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How can I get my road graded?
Please call our office directly at (734) 761-1500. We will respond as quickly as possible, however at times road grading must be postponed due to weather. If the road is too dry or too wet, grading has little affect other than to re-arrange dust or mud.
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How can I get my road dust controlled?
We contract with each township on dust control applications each year. We do offer dust control for a nominal fee.
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Which roads are plowed first?
Winter maintenance operations will be conducted based on a priority system established on the County and State Trunkline roads. The priorities primarily have been established based on traffic volumes.
- Priority 1 - State Trunklines
- Priority 2 - High volume hard surface roads
- Priority 3 - Medium volume hard surface roads
- Priority 4 - Subdivision streets
- Priority 5 - Gravel roads
More information is available on our Winter Maintenance page, or Back to top
Your truck knocked down my mailbox! When are you going to fix it?
Mailboxes are sometimes knocked down by road commission trucks when plowing snow. The Road Commission's policy is to replace mailboxes that have actually been hit by the snow plow; however, if the mailbox or wooden post was broken off from the force of the snow coming off the plow blade, we do not replace or repair it. Please call our office and we will check into the problem.
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