Maple Road residents to meet with Road Commission Monday night about future road improvement plan
Washtenaw County Road Commission officials will meet with Maple Road residents and elected officials from Scio and Ann Arbor townships to update them on the proposed improvements to Maple Road between Stein and Joy roads Monday night.
The informational meeting will take place at the Road Commission board room at 6:30 p.m., and will focus on improvements already made to Maple Road, which include the replacement of four culverts, an improved approach to Joy Road and the removal of dead trees between Stein and Joy roads.
They will also discuss a new plan for Maple Road between Stein and Joy roads in Scio Township, which includes additional tree removal, roadside ditches, the removal of a roadside berm and a new limestone surface that’s expected to take place next year.
Although area residents agree that something needs to be done to stop the flooding and washout that takes place on the road, previously they said they do not want the improvements to ruin the natural beauty of the road and homeowners' adjacent properties.
Road Commission officials say they need to address both the safety concerns and drainage issues.
Neighbors said previously they like the rural character of the road and don’t want it to become a freeway for speeding vehicles. In 1993, residents asked that the road be designated as a natural beauty road with a 25 mile per hour speed limit, but were turned down by the Road Commission.
This summer, Road Commissioners met with Maple Road residents and walked this section of road to see firsthand what the problems were.
“The focus of the project is to improve safety for the traveling public at the same time improving the surface and drainage of the roadway,” according to the meeting announcement from Jim Harmon, director of operations.
Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com who covers the Road Commission. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com.
Comments
MgoBlueMomma
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 5:57 p.m.
Most of you are talking about apples and oranges. Resurfacing is very very expensive to do. There has to be a budget for that and the traffic volume makes a difference. Ditches and culverts and such is definitly not as expensive as resurfacing. Plus is usually gets contracted out to other compnaies. Patching potholes is the only logical temp fix that the Road Commission can do sometimes. They have quarterly budgets just like every other business. And for the Road Commssion bashers- voice your opinion the right way. Call and Complain instead of just sitting there and typing it out. Believe me they do listen.
Ann English
Tue, Dec 13, 2011 : 12:07 a.m.
Ditches and culverts when put in and maintained, treat the cause. Without them, parts of Maple Road get flooded or at least erode. A man-made creek that flows under it has created some of the trouble with ruts.
justcurious
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 8:58 p.m.
Ann Arbor Saline Road at I-94 has been terrible for years and years. They have never scheduled it for resurfacing despite that. It is an embarrassment for Ann Arbor to have out-of-towners come and be forced to drive on it. Obviously the Road Commission does whatever they please. Plenty of complaints have fallen on deaf ears over the years. What did they do for you?
citizenwhocares
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 4:42 p.m.
I completely agree with Truthman. The entire stretch on A2/Saline between the I-94 on and off ramps is horrible and has been that way for years. The ramps were equally as bad before they did the patch jobs but these are only temporary. I know this is a difficult challenge considering the amount of cars that use this route with no good detours, combined with this being a primary access point for UofM games, but it needs to be done and someone needs to step up and take on this challenge. I have stopped using this exit as my daily route years ago simply because I don't drive a 4x4 that is required to navigate the bridge. How many others make this choice and how many businesses have suffered from decreased sales. My car was bouncing all over the place while traveling at 25-30 mph and with my low profile tires, hitting a pot hole would be very costly. And thanks to the insurance companies in the pockets of our legislatures; the state says we can't claim damage from a pot hole that can easily climb to several hundreds of dollars. Don't let them fool you by saying you can make a claim...you can only do this if you can prove the pot hole has been there for over 30 days...which is the very reason the road crews drive around filling in pot holes w/cold patch...its not to fix the pot hole (because it doesn't); it's so you can't make a claim the hole was there for more than 30 days. Sad.
justcurious
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
Absolutely true.
justcurious
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
This is a good example of why The Road Commission needs to go. They are not answerable to the people. They are above the people. None of them are elected.
Diane
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 2:02 p.m.
Our road really needs to be improved as because there is a lot of traffic on Dell where people use it to by-pass Saline. The chuck holes are terrible & if an ambulance had to get out here in a hurry, forget it. Our road is below grade by at least 12 inched & there is a "curb"you have to go over to get onto our driveway. Dead tree limbs are over the Waterworks road & hopefully won't fall on a car or person walking or running. In the past I've see Road Comm. trucks parked with the men reading books !!!!!
MgoBlueMomma
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 5:29 p.m.
If you see them reading books. Call in to the Road Commission and complain. They will get put on corrective action or fired if they are found to be doing that and its not their breaks or lunch. They do have 2 breaks and 1 lunch. I just hope that a person isn't just complaining and does nothing about it. Because just like every job there is dead weight- people that do not take thier job seriously. If they were told on- the employer could get rid of them and then a better performer could come in.
TruthMan
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
Instead of reworking a road that residents don't want 'fixed', what about putting some asphalt on the main intersection at the main south entrance to the city of Ann Arbor, the junction of Ann Arbor- Saline Road and I-94 ???? That intersection is traveled by thousands every day, many more thousands every football game, and is some of the worst pavement anywhere in Washtenaw County. It has not been resurfaced in more than two decades, and is not slated to be even basically repaired until 2014 ... MAYBE !!!! Does it really make sense to leave the worst intersection alone and fix a road very few use ??? How about some support to get this on the schedule !!!
Jim Osborn
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 : 12:29 p.m.
Oh, no! "tree removal, roadside ditches.. On Ellsworth Road near the Costco, hugh ditchs were dug that would require tree removal to make the space. I sincerely hope that it is done in moderation, making it good for most storms, and not for a 100 year storm.