Brandon Twp.– Seymour Lake Road between Sashabaw and Perry Lake Road is seen as dangerous by some township and county officials.
In August, township supervisor Ron Lapp hopes accidents and problems with cars running off the road will be alleviated with paving of the shoulder.
The township and Oakland County Road Commission will pay for a contractor to pave 3500 feet of shoulder on both sides of Seymour Lake Road, with a 3-foot shoulder width on each side. Lapp estimates the cost to the township will be between $10,000-$15,000.
‘Shoulder paving is considered a safety enhancement,? said OCRC public relations director Craig Bryson. ‘Any time you have a smooth shoulder you reduce the possibility of a driver accidentally swerving off a road and losing control because of a rough spot. You could fly off and hit a tree without it.?
Between January and December 2004, nine accidents occured on Seymour Lake Road between Sashabaw and Perry Lake roads, says Bob DeCorti of the Traffic Improvement Association. None involved alcohol. Four of the accidents involved animals. In three cases, the driver lost control. Seven were single-car accidents where the driver ran off the road. Four of the nine occured in January. In two accidents, the vehicles were speeding. Three of the nine accidents resulted in injuries. There were no fatalities.
‘Smooth shoulders to swerve on might prevent accidents,? Bryson said. ‘It could make for a minor accident instead of a major one.?
Lapp agrees.
‘We will work to get this done before we have a real disaster.?