Independence Township Supervisor Pat Kittle is exploring alternative ideas to fix local roads after voters strongly rejected the state’s Proposal 1plan earlier this month.
Kittle said any future decision to fund road repairs made by lawmakers means a long wait for any funding to reach communities.
‘In two years, roads are going to be horrible,? he said.
At the May 12 township meeting, Kittle told trustees he is exploring information about a dedicated millage to fix five main roads including Clarkston Road, Sashabaw, Waldon, Clintonville and Maybee, which all together equal 25 miles of roadway.
Fixing the five roads would require a $12 million investment.
Kittle said it costs $400,000-$500,000 per mile to mill, repair, re-pave and do some other work on a road.
He said a dedicated road millage of 1 mill, would raise $1.5 million per year. At the rate of 1 mill or even a bit higher, it would take years to fix those roads.
Fixing every one of those five roads in just one year would require about $1,000 from each resident.
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Residents will notice new signs during various events in Independence Township.
Trustees approved purchasing four roadway compact message boards, which are digital signs that display information the township wishes to relay to the public.
The signs are battery powered and solar charged. Funding to pay for the signs was split between several departments in the township. Total cost for all four signs was about $59,000. ? Andrea Beaudoin