Roads & Construction

Published March 1, 2016

Ferndale adopts resolution in opposition to I-75 widening

FERNDALE — When Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson announced a major renovation project of Interstate 75 during his 2016 State of the County address Feb. 10, he said it was long overdue.

Some communities in metro Detroit, however, don’t see it that way, including Ferndale.

In collaboration with the city of Royal Oak, the Ferndale City Council adopted a resolution in opposition of the spending on the project, particularly for expanding the freeway, feeling that the money could be better spent on other road projects.

Published February 29, 2016

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Big Beaver gears up for lengthy closure between M-1 and Adams

BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — A commonly used Birmingham roadway is set to be closed this week, and it could stay closed for the majority of 2016.

According to Craig Bryson, public information officer for the Road Commission for Oakland County, Big Beaver Road should be shut down this week between Woodward Avenue in Birmingham and Adams Road in Bloomfield Township to accommodate utility relocation work.

Published February 29, 2016

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Voters to decide on Maple Road charter amendment

BIRMINGHAM — On Tuesday, voters will take to the polls to decide which party candidates should move forward in the race for president of the United States.

But in Birmingham, the more contentious issue will be on the right-hand side of the ballot. In response to more than 1,000 petition signatures submitted to the city, a proposal will appear on the March 8 ballot to amend the city charter to say that Maple Road between Cranbrook and Southfield and Woodward and Eton roads will not be changed to less than four through-traffic lanes.

Published February 29, 2016

Sterling Heights Sentry

Road commissions prepare for spring road construction

After a winter of salting and plowing, the local county road commissions will soon transition to fixing the damage that the elements and vehicles cause to roads, bridges and more.

Road Commission for Oakland County spokesman Craig Bryson said Oakland County has about $27 million in road repairs scheduled in its 2016 construction program. In addition, many projects are buttressed by federal funding and local matches, he said.

Published February 23, 2016

Farmington Press

Sewer tunnel construction project closes 12 Mile, 13 Mile

FARMINGTON HILLS — Residents who live in the subdivisions of Wellington Road and Chenwood Court might have to pack patience in their lunch pail for their daily commute.

They will need to use Middlebelt Road to get to their homes due to road closures on 12 Mile and 13 Mile roads through October, a city official said.

“No traffic will be able to get through between those two roads,” Karen Mondora, assistant public services director for Farmington Hills, said recently.

Published February 22, 2016

Sterling Heights Sentry

End of winter means potholes are back

Miniature pits of despair will soon mar roads and commutes in metro Detroit, but some road officials and experts say they will do what they can to make the season as tolerable as possible.

According to Bob Hoepfner, roads director at the Macomb County Department of Roads, the pothole situation has been about the same as last year, though he added that problems might have arisen a bit earlier due to generally milder weather. Frequent transitions between freeze and thaw damage roads at a faster rate, he explained.

Published February 16, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Local officials concerned with transit plans

EASTPOINTE — Members of the Eastpointe City Council during its meeting Feb. 2 expressed discomfort with one of the proposals for the Regional Transit Authority plan for Gratiot Avenue.

Published February 9, 2016

Woodward Talk

With plan finished, WA3 looks for buy-in from Woodward cities

PLEASANT RIDGE — After more than five years of studying Woodward Avenue from Detroit to Pontiac, the Woodward Avenue Action Association has put the final touches on its Complete Streets plan for the corridor.

But that is just the beginning, WA3 Board Vice Chairman Kurt Metzger said.

Published February 2, 2016

West Bloomfield Beacon

Roads on track with salt use

WEST BLOOMFIELD — Despite Old Man Winter refraining from dumping piles of snow so far this winter season, the Road Commission for Oakland County and local public works departments are reporting average salt use at this time.

Craig Bryson, Road Commission public information officer, said that the Road Commission has had to salt the roads almost daily because of the frequent dusting of snow on the roads.

Published February 1, 2016

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

West Maple Road diet ‘working,’ report says

BIRMINGHAM — What’s the best part of any diet? When you finally start to see some results.

Civil engineer Mike Labadie presented an interim report to the Birmingham City Commission during its regular meeting Jan. 25 to shed some light on how the lane reconfiguration is working on West Maple Road.

Last summer, the commission voted to temporarily trim the street from four lanes to three with a center turn lane between Southfield and Cranbrook roads.

Published February 1, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Mild winter has been a boon to cities

A drier and milder winter than usual has been beneficial to the public services departments in Roseville and Eastpointe, which typically spend December through March battling snowfall, icy roads, water main breaks and potholes.

This year so far has not required as much salt, according to the department heads in both cities, which has allowed crews to focus on dealing with potholes and occasional icy patches.

Published January 26, 2016

Troy Times

Wattles closes between Beach and Adams

Those who travel Wattles Road on the far west side of the city will have to find a different route until this spring as work begins on a sanitary sewer.

Wattles Road between Beach and Adams roads is closed, and Chestnut Hill Court, south of Wattles Road, will also be closed for work on the North Evergreen Interceptor, part of the Evergreen-Farmington sanitary disposal system. Residents on those roads will have access to their homes from Adams Road and will be contacted in advance when driveway closures are scheduled.

Published January 22, 2016

West Bloomfield Beacon

Putnam Drive bridge closed indefinitely

The Road Commission for Oakland County has closed the Putnam Drive bridge over Walnut Lake canal indefinitely due to severe deterioration, the commission announced Jan. 22.

Public Information Officer Craig Bryson said the bridge, which sits north of Walnut Lake Road and west of Inkster Road, was inspected Jan. 20. Engineers reported that the support beams are badly rusted, and one is detached from the structure. Inspectors also found holes in the deck, he said.

Published January 20, 2016

Sterling Heights Sentry

Sterling officials give preview of 2016 road projects

STERLING HEIGHTS — The winding down of the Van Dyke Avenue reconstruction project doesn’t mean that the city is out of the clear for construction work in 2016.

During a Jan. 5 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Vanderpool said residents and motorists are not going to get much reprieve with road construction.

Published January 20, 2016

Shelby - Utica News

Hall Road project planned for 2017

SHELBY TOWNSHIP/UTICA — The Michigan Department of Transportation recently shared plans with affected municipalities for an approximately 2-mile Hall Road reconstruction project to take place in 2017, Shelby Township Planner Glenn Wynn said.

The project is slated to target Hall Road from Delco Boulevard, just east of M-53, to Hayes Road. The scope of the project will include complete pavement reconstruction, drainage improvements, handicapped-accessible ramps, sidewalks and landscaping.

Published January 13, 2016

Rochester Post

Dequindre reconstruction coming in spring

ROCHESTER HILLS — A Dequindre reconstruction project on the city’s border with Shelby Township is slated to begin this spring.

“This is a long-standing project that divides cities, counties and precincts,” Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett said. “It will help alleviate a lot of congestion.”

The reconstruction will tackle an area of Dequindre from Burningbush Drive, which is south of South Boulevard, to West Utica Road. The project involves the communities of Troy, Sterling Heights, Rochester Hills and Shelby Township.

Published January 12, 2016

Rochester Post

Fourth, East streets intersection gets a four-way stop

ROCHESTER — A four-way stop has been installed at the intersection of Fourth and East streets in downtown Rochester, due to traffic congestion from the new parking structure.

Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm said he received a request to review and look at the intersection, which was previously governed by a single stop sign.

Published January 6, 2016

Macomb Township Chronicle

County board chair says regional transit could be key for 2016

MACOMB COUNTY — A plan for regional transit could be one of the big ticket items to pay attention to in 2016, according to Macomb County Board of Commissioners Chair David Flynn, D-Sterling Heights.

“Everything should be on the table,” Flynn said as it pertains to discussions for a regional transit system.

Published January 4, 2016

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

Construction project beginning at Garfield and 18 Mile

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Garfield Road is already a well-traversed spot for motorists, but many of them might want to find a new route soon.

On Dec. 28, Macomb County Public Works issued a release stating that the far right northbound lane, south of 18 Mile Road, will be closed for approximately nine months for a county sewer project.

The job consists of replacing a 45-year-old sewage metering facility that is part of the Macomb County wastewater system that serves Clinton Township.

Published December 16, 2015

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Highway lights throughout area to be repaired, replaced

METRO DETROIT — The Michigan Department of Transportation is partnering with a consortium of private companies to replace aging or broken streetlights along the area’s major highways with new energy-efficient ones.

The Michigan Freeway Lighting Partners have contracted with MDOT in a public-private partnership, or P3, to finance and contract the replacement work. Over the next two years, those streetlights will be replaced along Interstates 94, 96, 75, 696 and 275 in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties, MDOT spokesman Robert Morosi said, as well as M-10 and M-39.