The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) plans to complete nearly $50 million worth of road improvements during the 2014 road construction season, ranging from road widenings to gravel road pavings to resurfacing projects to bridge and culvert replacements and repairs.
“We are doing a lot of road construction this year,” stated RCOC Chairman Greg Jamian. “We have pressed hard to get every available dollar to improve as many roads as possible. These projects won’t resolve every rough road in the county, but they will improve driving condition for many people.”
RCOC Vice Chairman Ron Fowkes agreed. “We recognize that these projects, while under construction, will cause delays for some drivers,” he noted. “We ask for your patience as we strive to improve the road system. When it comes to road construction, there is simply no way to rebuild a road or replace a bridge that doesn’t impact traffic. However, we believe this short-term pain will significantly improve travel for many years to come.”
RCOC Commissioner Eric Wilson added that this nearly $50 million investment in the transportation infrastructure will help to ensure that Oakland County remains a great place to live and do business. “Good roads impact quality of life and help to engender a positive business environment,” he said. “We are committed to both of those.”
Projects planned for this year include:
– Widening and reconstructing Tienken Road from Rochester Road to Livernois Road in Rochester Hills,
– Starting the reconfiguration of the Orchard Lake/14 Mile/Northwestern Highway “triangle” on the West Bloomfield Township/Farmington Hills border,
– Reconstructing the southbound lanes of Greenfield Road from 8 Mile Road to 9 Mile Road in Southfield,
– Paving the gravel portion of Oak Hill Road from Dixie Highway to Kier Road on the Groveland Township/Springfield Township border,
– Resurfacing Orion Road from Rochester Road to Flint Street in Rochester Hills and Orion Township and
– Replacing two bridges and four culverts and repairing seven bridges.
The majority of projects planned for 2014 will be paid for primarily with federal funds. Six of the projects will be paid for through the Michigan Road and Risk Reserve Fund as approved by the state Legislature.
Work will start on some projects as early as mid-April. Others will start at various points throughout the construction season.
The complete listing of the projects planned for 2014 is listed below.
2014 RCOC Road Improvement Program
Safety Widenings
Tienken Livernois to Rochester; widen 2 lanes to 3, Rochester Hills; Cost: $6.1 million
Williams Lake at Airport (intersection); widen intersection, Waterford Twp.; Cost: $500,000
Total Safety Widenings: $6.6 million
Reconstruct/Replace (completely reconstruct or replace an existing road)
Greenfield (southbound lanes only) 8 Mile to 9 Mile, Southf
Nrthwstrn Hghwy/14 Mile/Orch. Lk intersection roundabout, Farm. Hills/West Blfld.; Cost: $11.9 million
Total Reconstruct/Replace: $15 million
Repair, Rehabilitate and Resurface (repair road base & add 3 or 4 inches of new asphalt to existing lanes)
Avon Adams to Livernois, Rochester Hills; Cost: $3.4 million
Cooley Lake Williams Lake to Union Lake, White Lake Twp./Commerce Twp.; Cost: $500,000
Pontiac Lake M-59 to Cass Lake, Waterford Twp.; Cost: $1.6 million
8 Mile Napier to Taft (complete 2013 project), Novi & Northville; Cost: $4.6 million
Joslyn Collier to north of Pacific, Auburn Hills; Cost: $1.7 million
Total Repair, Rehabilitate and Resurface: $11.8 million
Pave Gravel Road (provide paved surface on currently unpaved road)
Oak Hill Dixie Highway to Kier, Groveland Twp./Springfield Twp. border; Cost: $2.2 million
Clyde ast of Hickory Ridge to Strathcona, Highland Twp.; Cost: $1.9 million
Total Pave Gravel: $4.1 million
Bridge Replacement
Orion Road over the Paint Creek, Oakland Twp.; Cost: $1.7 million
Livernois Road over the Lane Ditch*, Troy; Cost: $750,000
Total Bridge Replacement: $2.45 million
Bridge Maintenance
Lahser over the Rouge River (between 12 Mile & 13 Mile) epoxy overlay, Southfield; Cost: $125,000
Lahser over the Rouge River (between 9 Mile & 10 Mile) epoxy overlay, Southfield; Cost: $200,000
Avon over the Clinton River mill, waterproof membrane, overlay, Rochester Hills; Cost: $150,000
Jackson Blvd. over White Lake mill, waterproof membrane, overlay, White Lake Twp.; Cost: $125,000
Dawson over Huron River mill, waterproof membrane, overlay, Milford Twp.; Cost: $90,000
General Motors over Huron River epoxy overlay, Milford Twp.; Cost: $95,000
Burns over Huron River mill, waterproof membrane, overlay, Milford Twp.; Cost: $90,000
Total Bridge Maintenance: $875,000
Culvert Replacement
Maybee over Sashabaw Creek, Independence Twp.; Cost: $300,000
Sleeth over Sherwood Lake, Commerce Twp.; Cost: $150,000
11 Mile over the Novi Drain, Lyon Twp.; Cost: $250,000
Pontiac Lake Road over Pontiac Lake*, White Lake Twp.; Cost: $500,000
Total Culvert Replacement: $1.2 million
Overlay (simple asphalt resurfacing, with 1.5 inches of new asphalt)
Joslyn, Waldon to Clarkston, Orion Twp.; Cost: $815,000
Hickory Ridge, Clyde to West Demode, Highland & Rose Twps.; Cost: $700,000
Pontiac Trail, 8 Mile to 9 Mile, Lyon Twp./South Lyon; Cost: $420,000
Holcomb Road, Davisburg Rd to Miller Rd*, Springfield & Independence Twps./Village of Clarkston; Cost: $500,000
Orion Road, Flint Street to Rochester Road*, Orion Twp. & Rochester Hills; Cost: $800,000
Walnut Lake Road, Franklin to Halsted*, Bloomfield & West Bloomfield Twps.; Cost: $1.2 million
Total Overlay: $4.435 million
Concrete Replacement
Crooks Road, Tower Drive to Corporate Drive*, Troy; Cost: $1 million
Big Beaver, I-75 to Coolidge, Troy; Cost: $700,000
Total Concrete Replacement: 1.7 million
Total cost of projects to be under construction in 2014: $48.16 million
* = projects paid for through the state Legislature’s Roads and Risk Reserve Fund with dollars allocated from the state’s surplus.
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