Roads & Construction

Published April 14, 2016

Natural gas line break shuts Kirts Blvd. at Crooks

Kirts Boulevard north of Crooks Road was closed after contractors doing directional drilling to install a fiber optic line hit a 2-inch natural gas line just before 4:30 p.m. April 13.

Contractors called Troy firefighters to the scene, on northbound Crooks Road, at Kirts Boulevard. Firefighters determined the extent of the leak, checked storm drains and water lines to see how far the leak went, and checked buildings to determine the amount of natural gas present, said Troy Assistant Fire Chief Chuck Riesterer.

Published April 13, 2016

St. Clair Shores Sentinel

Patching potholes presents its own problems

ST. CLAIR SHORES — They’re back.

Just as Old Man Winter loosens his grip on Michigan, it’s time for pothole season to rear its ugly head, and local governmental agencies are doing their best to keep up.

“We have been busy with them,” said St. Clair Shores Department of Public Works Director Bryan Babcock. “For a while, we were out basically every day.

Published April 13, 2016

West Bloomfield Beacon

Haggerty Road cleanup event to be held

WEST BLOOMFIELD — Volunteers are needed to help pick up debris along a portion of Haggerty Road in West Bloomfield during the first Earth Day Haggerty Road cleanup event, which will be held 5-8 p.m. April 22.

Those who wish to participate are asked to meet at the rear of the parking lot of Meijer, located at 1703 Haggerty Road.

Published April 13, 2016

Southfield Sun

City participates in Pothole Patrol

SOUTHFIELD — If you find yourself cursing the potholes as you drive down the Northwestern Highway service drive, you could have a hand in making them disappear.

Public Works Operations Manager Larry Sirls said the city is participating in the Pothole Patrol, in which residents and visitors can report a pothole to the city.

Once the pothole is reported, Sirls said public works employees will fill it within 48 hours.

Published April 12, 2016

Troy Times

Wheel breakers: City, county crews take potshots at potholes

You wouldn’t think there’d be so many potholes on roadways because of the mild winter this year.

But it’s the freeze-thaw cycle that wreaks havoc on roadways. Recent welcome warm temperatures, followed by cold, resulted in the potholes that county and city road crews are working to fill, said Kurt Bovensiep, Troy public works manager.

“As a result of the Troy Roads Rock program, over the past two years, we’re not seeing the influx of potholes we have in previous years because of our large investment in the road system,” Bovensiep said.

Published April 6, 2016

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

Township, county hook up on road repairs

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — With aid from the Macomb County Department of Roads, Clinton Township will soon see a pair of vital road stretches either fixed or replaced.

Macomb County Department of Roads Director Bob Hoepfner was present at the township’s March 21 Board of Trustees meeting to discuss the two intended projects: replacing 19 Mile Road, between Hayes and Romeo Plank roads; and a 2-inch asphalt overlay on Cimarron, from 18 Mile Road north to Bayham, and then east to the entrance of Miami Elementary School.

Published April 6, 2016

Macomb Township Chronicle

Sewer project underway on 23 Mile Road

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — A $3.8 million sewer project is underway along 23 Mile Road in Macomb Township, between Romeo Plank and Hayes roads.

The project means that the far right westbound lane of 23 Mile Road will be closed in that stretch for the duration of the project, which is expected to be approximately three months.

Project Manager Steve Siklich said there will also be a one-week intermittent lane closure at the intersection of 23 Mile and Hayes sometime in April.

Published April 4, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Utica Road down to one lane at Gratiot, 12 Mile

ROSEVILLE — The Michigan Department of Transportation has given approval to the city of Roseville to reduce the turn onto northbound Utica Road to one lane at the intersection with Gratiot Avenue, according to Roseville City Manager Scott Adkins.

The Macomb County Department of Roads also agreed to put in a right-turn-only lane on southbound Utica at 12 Mile Road, Adkins said.

Both lane reductions are the final step needed in a study to see what the impact of reducing Utica to one lane has on traffic patterns and accidents.

Published April 4, 2016

Madison - Park News

See a pothole? Tweet it to the city of Madison Heights

MADISON HEIGHTS — The next time you see a pothole in Madison Heights, park somewhere safe, pull out your tablet or smartphone, and tweet the pothole’s location to the city’s official handle (@citymadhts) with the hashtag #madhts
fix. You can even include a picture if you want.

Then the clock starts ticking. Within mere hours, staff from the Department of Public Services will be dispatched to fix the pothole. The city will then report back to residents on social media when the work is done.

Published March 31, 2016

West Bloomfield Beacon

Tri-Party funds offered to assist in repairing Putnam bridge

WEST BLOOMFIELD — While the fate of the Putnam bridge — which was closed unexpectedly Jan. 22 due to deterioration — is still unknown, on March 21 the township Board of Trustees unanimously approved committing $200,000 in Tri-Party funds to assist in bridge repairs.

The Tri-Party fund is money that comes from a local community, the county and the Road Commission for Oakland County.

Published March 29, 2016

Shelby - Utica News

End in sight for 24 Mile Road water main, road project

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Officials estimate that the 24 Mile Road reconstruction work along the entire length of an approximately 7-mile water main project from east of Dequindre to Romeo Plank roads will be finished before the end of June.

On March 18, crews finished installing the new 42-inch water main that runs parallel to an existing 36-inch water main. The $3.3 million project began on the eastern Macomb Township end in October 2014.

Published March 23, 2016

Woodward Talk

Ferndale allocates extra funds for bike network after high project bid

FERNDALE — The city of Ferndale, in collaboration with five other communities, was awarded a 2016 Transportation Alternatives Program grant last summer in the amount of $194,227 to create the Woodward Corridor Neighborhood Bicycle Network to connect all six cities.

With signage already going up and construction plans underway, Ferndale officials found out early this year that the low bid for the project came in 16 percent higher than expected, which would cost the city another $47,000 for the project.

Published March 23, 2016

Woodward Talk

Residents won’t have to pay for parking passes in new residential parking zones

FERNDALE — The residential parking zones (RPZ) program is getting closer to implementation, but following the March 14 City Council meeting, residents in the designated zones will not have to pay for passes for at least the first year.

The RPZ program was piloted in 2011 on West Troy and West Saratoga streets before Assistant City Manager Joseph Gacioch brought it back before council in 2015 in order to expand the program.

Published March 9, 2016

Royal Oak Review

Local communities oppose I-75 widening

ROYAL OAK — Despite an outpouring of dissatisfaction by some state and local officials, it appears a plan to widen Interstate 75 will move forward as scheduled.

Michigan Department of Transportation I-75 Senior Project Manager Sue Datta said the “modernization project” is expected to kick off this summer with the portion of I-75 from North Coolidge north to South Boulevard seeing the work. The entire project is expected to be completed in 2030, with portions being done every two years.

Published March 7, 2016

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

$2.5 million grant will fund local spillway restorations

MOUNT CLEMENS/HARRISON TOWNSHIP/CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Restoring and maintaining 2 miles of the Clinton River spillway is the goal of a $2.5 million grant recently awarded to the Clinton River Spillway Inter-County Drainage Board for restoration projects in Mount Clemens, Harrison Township and Clinton Township.

The grant was awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Published March 5, 2016

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

County moving forward with local bridge work

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Officials with the Macomb County Department of Roads report that work on replacing and repairing bridges throughout Harrison Township is right on schedule.

The bridge work taking place has been no secret in recent months, with closures and alternate routes becoming the norm.

But the most significant bridge work being done is actually unknown to a great many in the township — four bridges in the Huron Pointe subdivision off of South River Road are being replaced or removed.

Published March 1, 2016

Woodward Talk

Council approves Zipcar pilot program

FERNDALE — The city of Ferndale routinely explores alternative options for residents to move about the city and metro Detroit without owning their own cars, and now Zipcar has joined the list of opportunities.

Zipcar allows members 24/7 access to drive cars by the hour or day through a mobile application or membership card. For a monthly or yearly fee, patrons can have access to a select number of Zipcars in their community to use for personal purposes.

Published March 1, 2016

Woodward Talk

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.