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Local road projects discussed at annual Lima Board meeting with Road Commission

Road Commission logoThe Lima Township Board held its annual meeting with the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) on Monday, March 9 with more than two dozen people in attendance.

WCRC Director of Operations Jim Harmon presented the board with the proposed 2015 projects for township roads.

Overall, Lima Township has 25.19 miles of primary roads, and 44.66 miles of local roads.

The proposed projects are as follows:

  • Gross Road, Parker Road to Steinbach Road

Work to include roadside berm removal, ditching, cleaning culvert ends and culvert replacement, with associated dust control and project restoration. Estimated project cost: $6,000

  • Trinkle Road and Steinbach Road

Locations included are: Trinkle Road between Dancer Road and Parker Road and Steinbach Road between Trinkle Road and Dexter-Chelsea Road. Work to include roadside berm removal, spot ditching, and associated project restoration. Estimated project cost: $21,000

  • Fletcher Road, Trinkle Road to Dexter-Chelsea Road

Work to include tree trimming and canopy clearing associated project restoration. Estimated project cost: $16,000

  • Fletcher Road, Trinkle Road to Dexter-Chelsea Road

Work to include roadside berm removal, ditching and associated project restoration. Estimated project cost: $14,000

  • Fletcher Road, Trinkle Road to Dexter-Chelsea Road

Work to include shaping the existing surface, the application of 6” of 23a limestone (approximately 3.375 tons) with associated dust control and project restoration. Estimated project cost: $59,500

  • Township wide limestone

Work to include the spot application of a 23a limestone surface with associated dust control on various local roads within the township.  Locations to be determined by the township supervisor (or his designee) and the district foreman. Estimated cost of $17.54 per ton includes all labor, equipment and material costs. The township can establish a “not to exceed” cost.

  • Township wide gravel

Work to include the spot application of a 22a gravel surface with associated dust control on various local roads within the township. Locations to be determined by the township supervisor (or his designee) and district foreman. Estimated cost of $12.29 per ton includes all labor, equipment and material costs. The township can establish a “not to exceed” cost.

Harmon also announced the WCRC matching funds for 2015. The township will receive $15,393 from the conventional local road matching program, up from $14,676 in 2014. The township will receive $12,745 from the drainage matching program, unchanged from the amount received in 2014.

It’s expected that the Township Board will vote on funding specific projects on Thursday during a budget hearing. There is about $130,000 planned for road projects in the budget, including a $15,000 payment for the township’s portion of the recently completed McKinley Road Bridge. Another $15,000 payment will be budgeted in the following year’s budget.

In other discussions, Harmon, as well as Doug Fuller, chairman of the WCRC Board, spoke about the importance of Proposal 1, which will be on the ballot for the upcoming May 5 election. Although the proposal is “flawed,” they said, Proposal 1, which raises the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, it is the only way Michigan’s roads will be improved.

There is no back-up plan for improving our roads, Fuller said, so the WCRC is urging residents to vote yes on proposal 1.

Fuller said that although he is disappointed in our state legislature, that Proposal 1 “is an amazing step forward” toward improving the quality of the state’s pot-hole ridden roads and crumbling bridges.

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