QUESTION: My property
taxes go up every year, why doesn’t the Road Commission fix my road?
 The Road Commission
does not directly receive any property tax revenue. Most property tax
revenue goes to the State of Michigan and local school districts to pay for
school operations, while small amounts go to the County General Fund and
Township government administration, with special voted millages going to
fund certain functions like the library, Central Dispatch (911), and
others. If your Township has a road millage then your Township receives the
taxed money and they pick and choose what road projects they want to
complete during the year. The Road Commission would then work directly with
your township on completing the projects. The only other tax money the Road
Commission receives for road maintenance comes from the Michigan
Transportation Fund administered by the State of Michigan. State collected
fuel taxes, license fees, and vehicle registration fees make up most of this
fund, which is divided by law among the 83 counties and 534 cities and
villages, with the State keeping about forty percent for their programs.
While these funds help us provide basic services such as grading gravel
roads, pothole patching, and snow plowing, this level of funding doesn't
allow us to make significant improvements on most County Local Roads. In
2009 our funding was down 6% from 2008 and down 8% from 2007.
Unfortunately, the trend we continue to see is a decrease in our revenues
and funding. The Road Commission actively seeks State and Federal grant
funds whenever available, and encourages participation in road improvement
projects by other agencies and local Township Government. Unfortunately for
most local roads, most grant programs target their funding to the main
Primary County Roads, which in most cases are already paved and in fairly
good condition, and most Townships operate on a modest budget that cannot
provide the large amount of funds necessary to upgrade or pave many local
roads.
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QUESTION: What is
Newaygo County Road Commission’s policy for mailbox damage?
More often than not,
damage to mailboxes is caused by snow pushing against weakened posts or
hardware. Proper maintenance may help to prevent damage during winter
maintenance operations. NCRC policy notes that an owner must clearly
demonstrate the damage to a mailbox was caused by direct contact by road
commission equipment. The Board will not assume responsibility for mailbox
damage that may be caused by snow/ice that is being plowed from the
roadway. If we actually hit your mailbox you can bring it in and we will
replace it.
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QUESTION: People are
always speeding on my road. How can I get the speed limit lowered and some
signs put up to slow them down?
The Road Commission is
the agency that installs and maintains all traffic signs on county roads.
State law requires the Road Commission to follow the requirements of the
Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD). In order to
install Regulatory type signs like no parking signs and speed limit signs,
the Road Commission must initiate a traffic study of the road in conjunction
with the Michigan State Police (MSP). The study includes a review of traffic
counts, accident history, speed studies, the character of the area along the
road, and any other information available regarding the problems in the
area. While the Road Commission is a participant in the traffic study and
analysis, the guidelines of the MMUTCD and judgment of the MSP largely
determine what speed limit will be adopted. At the conclusion of the study
the MSP issues a written Traffic Control Order directing the Road Commission
to install specific signs at specific locations on the road, and to record
the completed Traffic Control Order at the County Clerk's office.
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QUESTION: Why is my road
always the last one plowed after a snowstorm?
The Road Commission
organizes snow plowing operations to service the most heavily traveled
roadways first during and after a winter storm. About 196 lane miles of
State Highways and 342 miles of County Primary Roads and certain high
traffic local roads in the urban area are plowed and/or salted first. After
those roads are passable, crews move on to clear local paved roads
throughout the county. Typically, rural gravel roads are cleared after all
other higher traffic roads. While it is the Road Commission goal to make at
least one pass on all local roads the day of the snow storm, our crews may
begin plowing/salting several hours before the morning peak traffic, and
continue operations into the night. Extended winter storms or continuing
winds may require crews to continually plow the main high traffic roads and
prevent them from reaching subdivision streets or rural gravel roads each
day. Weekend plowing of local roads is performed only when the roads are not
passable.
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QUESTION: Do I need a
permit for a new driveway even if I do the work myself?
Yes, a permit from the
Road Commission is required anytime work is performed in the County road
right of way. When you apply for a permit you are helping the Road
Commission maintain safety for both yourself and the traveling public. Most
traffic accidents occur at intersections or where vehicles are entering or
leaving the roadway. The Road Commission inspects each proposed drive
location to assure that adequate sight distance is available, to determine
what drainage improvements might be necessary, and to review the site for
other potential safety problems before a permit is issued. Although there is
a nominal charge for a residential driveway permit, there is no permit fee
for most other minor work in road right of way, although we require that all
contractors follow accepted traffic safety procedures and furnish adequate
insurance coverage to protect both the homeowner and the public.
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QUESTION: Why are you
cutting down all the trees on my road?
The Road Commission
has an ongoing program to grade rural Local County Roads throughout Newaygo
County. The roadsides on many of the roads that are being worked on in this
program have become overgrown with brush and trees over the years to the
point that fairly extensive trimming and cutting is necessary to restore
safe sight distance for motorists along the road and to help prevent vehicle
collisions as well as damage to trucks, buses and Road Commission vehicles.
Although State law created a public right of way 66 feet wide for all county
roads, the Road Commission is not seeking to clear, cut, or mow the entire
right of way, and it is doubtful that we would cut all the trees on your
road.
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QUESTION: How can I get
my road paved?
The level of funding
provided to the Road Commission by law is not sufficient to pay for the
initial paving of a road. Although Township government has no responsibility
for road maintenance or improvement, and does not receive any road tax
money, they have been very supportive of county roads over the years, and
you may wish to contact them to see if they have any plans to improve your
road in the future. You can also circulate a Petition to set up a special
assessment district to improve your road. When signed by the owners of 51
percent or more of the frontage on a road such a petition authorizes the
Township to set up a special assessment district, and hold public hearings
regarding the proposed project. All properties accessing the road would
share in the expense of the project as established by the special assessment
district.
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QUESTION: Can I fill in
the ditch and plant trees in front of my property?
If there is a ditch
along the road in front of your property you should not fill it in even if
it doesn't drain water along the road. The purpose of most roadside ditches
is to prevent water from pooling on the roadway during or after a storm, to
provide an area for snow storage from snowplowing operations, and to lower
the water table beneath the roadbed. Filling in even a fairly shallow
roadside ditch can cause serious damage to the road and pavement from frost
heave and, of course, shrubs and trees planted in that area are exposed to
damage from traffic, snowplowing, and sweeping operations. Please do not
plant any trees or shrubs that may become a vision obstruction or that may
grow into a large fixed object that presents danger to motorists anywhere
inside the road right of way. Trees and ornamental plantings should be set
back at least 33 feet from the center of the road, which in most cases will
place them outside of the road right of way and protect them from traffic
damage.
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QUESTION: What are
weight restrictions?
Weight restrictions
are legal limits placed on the loads trucks may carry. During late winter
and early spring, when seasonal thawing occurs, the maximum allowable axle
load and speed is reduced to prevent weather-related breakup of roads.
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QUESTION: What are "all season" roads?
"All Season" roads are
those that have been designed and built with additional strength and
durability to withstand truck traffic loads all year long, and thus they are
not subject to the reduced load restrictions that are placed on most roads
during the early spring in Michigan. All residential subdivision streets,
most rural seal coated roads, and all gravel surfaced roads in Newaygo
County are subject to a reduction in allowable loads during each spring when
thawing of the ground below the road softens the roadbed and makes the
surface susceptible to damage from heavy loads, creating potholes.
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QUESTION: How can I get
a Children Playing sign put up to protect my children?
The Road Commission no longer places or maintains Children Playing signs,
although there are still several of these signs scattered throughout our
road system. Prior to the revision of the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MMUTCD) in 1983, these signs were acceptable for use on
county roads. Studies done nationally leading up to that revision
demonstrated conclusively that, while these signs may make parents and
children feel safer, they have absolutely no effect on driver behavior, and
do not slow traffic speeds as might be expected. To the extent that the
signs might make parents or children think they are safer when the danger is
still present, these signs can actually reduce safety. The best policy is
still to be sure to keep children as far away from the road as possible, and
don't allow even older children to play in or near the road.
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QUESTION: Why do you
spread tar and stone on the paved roads? There was nothing wrong with the
road and now it is a mess?
The process is
referred to as sealcoating which most road agencies in Michigan use as a
relatively low cost method of preserving existing pavements. The tar is
actually an emulsion of water and liquid asphalt which penetrates and seals
small cracks in the existing pavement. Sealing these cracks on a regular
basis prevents water from seeping into and softening the base of the road
and over time causing potholes to form. The porous stone that we use to
cover the asphalt emulsion sticks and, after rolling and sweeping, provides
a slightly roughened skid resistant surface to improve safety. Although
sealcoating can preserve and extend the life of the pavement, it is only a
surface treatment and does not fill any existing bumps, holes, or
irregularities and thus does not improve the ride quality. For this reason
it is important to apply sealcoat to a road BEFORE this deterioration
occurs, which leads us to sealcoat roads that are in generally good
condition rather than waiting for them to deteriorate to the point that
extensive patching is necessary.
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