Washtenaw County road project spending to drop significantly in 2010

Washtenaw County Road Commission officials say they expect the agency's budget will drop by 25 percent in 2010 - the harsh reality of rapidly declining state and federal revenues.

Those revenue losses are coupled with declining land development and associated road improvements by developers.

Spending on road projects alone will drop from $25 million in 2009 to $11.5 million in 2010 under the new Capital Improvement Plan approved by the Board of County Road Commissioners earlier this month.

Tim Fehrle, heavy equipment operator and driver at the Washtenaw County Road Commission, sprays down his truck in this 2006 file photo.

File photo

“This is yet another sign of the times we are all experiencing in Michigan,” Steve Puuri, Road Commission managing director, said in a written statement. “In a span of three years, we have gone from setting an all-time record investment level to curtailed expenditures at the lowest level since 1998.”

In recent times, the Road Commission has dedicated a higher percentage of its budget to performing preventative maintenance on paved roads in Washtenaw County. However, the overall pavement condition rating still places the county at fourth worst in the state, according to the agency.

“Why are we still ranked as fourth worst? The short answer is we have nearly 800 miles of paved roads that need to be resurfaced, and we have identified enough funding to resurface less than 50 miles per year," Puuri said.

Puuri said the Road Commission has focused on being as efficient as possible, but can't cut its way to adequate road funding levels. He said the Road Commission has been facing five years of decreasing Michigan Transportation Funds and double digit annual inflationary pressures for road materials.

To counter those funding challenges, the Road Commission is in the process of implementing service level adjustments.

“These policy changes will direct more funding towards preserving our highest traffic volume roads and bridges as well as continuing to place a high priority on routine maintenance,” Puuri said. “We will continue to provide services to the gravel roads and subdivision streets; however, we are limiting the amount of overtime work for our crews. Routine maintenance on the lower volume roads such as snow removal will occur during normal business hours."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.