During their Board meeting on November 6, 2007, the Washtenaw County Board of Road Commissioners, Wesley Prater (Chair), Fred Veigel (Vice-Chair), and David Rutledge (Member), approved their final 2007 Budget, as well as adopting the 2008-2012 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which was presented by Road Commission Transportation Planner, Brian Shorkey.
Over the past several months, Steve Puuri, Managing Director, Roy Townsend, Director of Engineering, Jim Harmon, Director of Operations, and other Road Commission staff have been assisting Shorkey in identifying the countywide road system needs and projects to include in the CIP; a five-year guide that is reviewed and revised annually.
Working within the Road Commission’s annual budget expected to be about $16.7 million in 2008, the group examined and considered major road improvement needs for the next five years, preventative maintenance requirements, and the necessary equipment and facility enhancements. As the CIP is being reviewed and developed by staff, Shorkey also solicits input from township officials on their preferred road improvement projects.
“The CIP will literally be our guide for road improvements
and preventive maintenance activities over next five years, so it
is important that we consider the overall needs of our county road
system,” said Puuri.
“For example, in 2008, we expect to have one of the largest budgets in the history of the Road Commission, with slightly under $17 million being received through our primary source of funding, the Michigan Transportation Fund, as well as over $44 million we were able to acquire through various state and federal grants, area developers, and other local revenue sources,” explained Puuri.
“However, even with this ample funding for 2008, revising the CIP was especially challenging this time, as we have been advised by MDOT that after next year’s construction season, state and federal transportation dollars will diminish significantly. Therefore, we had to scrutinize and reexamine every potential road improvement undertaking, and include only those projects we believe will best serve our overall transportation network now and in the long-term future, while we try to weather these financially challenging times. This scrutiny of our services and projects also forced us to look into developing a more formalize Preventative Maintenance Plan that could guide us in effectively managing the road system as assets, by well-maintaining and keeping our existing roads in good condition, as well as addressing the needs of some of our aging facilities,” Puuri explained.
The Capital Improvement Plan looks at all the potential road improvements projects, preventive maintenance programs, equipment needs, and facility upgrades, based on the following criteria:
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A project must be consistent with an adopted or anticipated component of a county or township plan, a state or federal requirement or a Road Commission approved policy.
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In addition, a road-related project must add to the value or capacity of the county road network and must constitute a permanent, physical or system improvement in excess of $100,000; or a significant facility upgrade or equipment purchase in excess of $100,000, with a useful lifespan of ten years.
The updated CIP includes 49 road and bridge projects that may be completed over the next five years; this is 17 more projects than was incorporated into the 2007-2011 CIP. Total cost of these projects is over $70.7 million; an increase of approximately $11.6 million from the previous CIP. There are 38 unfunded projects in the 2008-2012 CIP, totaling $55.5 million; this is one more unfunded project than was listed last year.
Just a few of the many projects planned in 2008 alone include:
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The Geddes Road/Superior Road Roundabout in Superior Township. Approximately cost: $1.5 million, funded by federal dollars, the state’s Local Jobs for Today Program, the Road Commission and Superior Township.
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The East Delhi Road Bridge rehabilitation project in Scio Township. This estimated $1 million project will be funded through MDOT’s Local Bridge Program, the Road Commission and local contributions.
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The Main Street Bridge replacement project in Scio Township and the Village of Dexter, will cost an estimated $2 million and will include the removal of the Mill Creek dam. Funding is provided through MDOT’s Local Bridge Program, the Road Commission and local contributions.
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The Holmes Road, Phase II reconstruction project, from Rue Deauville to Spencer Road, in Ypsilanti Township will cost approximately $3.2 million; funds are being provided by MDOT the Road Commission and Ypsilanti Township.
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The LeForge Road/Geddes Road intersection improvements project, associated with the Hyundai America Tech Center, located in Superior Township, is a $2 million project that will be paid for entirely by Hyundai through a Special Assessment.
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The Jackson Road Boulevard, Phase III project, located in Scio Township from Dino Drive to Honey Creek, will reconstruct the two-lane road to a four-lane boulevard. Estimated cost is $17 million, which will be paid for by the Scio Township Downtown Development Authority (DDA).
“We feel fortunate to be able to include these significant road projects in our current CIP. Of course, this is largely because of the partnerships our staff has cultivated over the years that have nurtured into obtaining so much outside funding,” explained Puuri.
“Although we do not yet know what the future holds for our funding sources and service levels, or what the following years’ predicted revenue shortfalls will allow us to do, we are doing our utmost to continue to maintain and improve Washtenaw County’s road system by utilizing the public’s money in the highest yielding, most cost-effective manner possible,” Puuri concluded.
Contacts
For information on the Capital Improvement Plan, contact Brian Shorkey, Transportation Planner, at (734) 827-9531 or via email at: shorkeyb@wcroads.org.
For questions or further information on this press release, please contact Val Cooper, Public Information Officer, Washtenaw County Road Commission, at (734) 327-6675, or via email at cooperv@wcroads.org.