Rochester Rd. resurfacing to begin in June, cost $5.6M

Get ready, Addison Township because a fresh crop of orange construction barrels will be sprouting up this summer along the heavily-traveled Rochester Rd.
Beginning in early June, the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) will be doing some road construction along the 3.2-mile stretch of Rochester Rd. between Lakeville Rd. and the Leonard Village limits.
‘It includes 400 feet of Lakeville Rd. (where it meets) Rochester Rd.,? noted RCOC Spokesman Craig Bryson.
Plans are to repair the road base, then add 3 to 4 inches of new asphalt to the existing lanes.
‘It’s in poor condition,? Bryson said. ‘There are places that are worse than others in that section, of course. But it’s all in need of resurfacing.?
Bryson said the project will cost an estimated $5.6 million, but not one penny of township funds will be expended.
He explained that $3.8 million will come from federal funds generated by the federal gas tax, while the other $1.775 million will be paid by the road commission.
‘There is no community contribution on this one,? Bryson said.
The project is due to begin within 10 days of the awarding of the contract, which is anticipated to occur on June 1, according to Bryson.
‘We expect it to start within the first two weeks of June,? he said. ‘The contract mandates that it be open to traffic by Nov. 11.?
Total completion, which includes things that don’t impact traffic like landscape restoration, must be by June 1, 2014.
As can be expected, this project will mean detours for motorists who use Rochester Rd.
‘The project is going to be done in two phases and the road will be closed in each of those phases,? Bryson said.
Phase 1 consists of a section that begins 500 feet south of Mack Rd. and extends to the Leonard Village limits.
‘That section will be closed from the start of the project in early June until Sept. 9,? Bryson said.
Phase 1’s detour route will run from Leonard Rd. to Lake George Rd. to Lakeville Rd. to Rochester Rd. and vice versa.
Phase 2 consists of a section of Lakeville Rd. that begins 400 feet west of where it intersects with Rochester Rd. and extends to the point where Phase 1 began 500 feet south of Mack Rd.
‘That will be closed from approximately Sept. 9 until the end of the project on approximately Nov. 11,? Bryson said.
Phase 2’s detour route will run from Mack Rd. to Townsend Rd. to Brewer Rd. to Rochester Rd. and vice versa.
Bryson noted the road commission will be hosting a public informational meeting about the project sometime in mid-to-late May.
‘We haven’t set a date yet,? he said. ‘It will probably take place at the Addison Township offices.
‘We’ll send out a flyer to all the adjacent properties and subdivisions, and do a press release as well.?