It snowed last night, when will my road be plowed?
Snow removal is done on a priority system following the Road Commission Winter Maintenance Policy. State highways, such as Northland Drive (Old 131), US-131, M-20 and M-66, have the highest priority, then primary roads (main connector roads such as Chippewa Lake Road) followed by local roads.
Your truck knocked down my mailbox - when are you going to fix it?
Road commission trucks when plowing snow sometimes knock down mailboxes. The Road Commission's policy is to replace mailboxes that have actually been knocked down by our plows. We do not install or repair any mailboxes, but we do provide replacements. Our replacements are a standard mailbox; we DO NOT provide identical replacements.
A county truck threw a stone into my windshield, is the Road Commission going to pay for it?
Contact your insurance company to see if you have applicable coverage before contacting our office. Click Here to go directly to our damage claim form
Do I need to get a permit to put in a new driveway?
Yes, all work performed within the County Right Of Way requires a permit from our offices or website. Click here to view the right of way permit.
I live on a gravel road, and I can't leave my windows open because of the dust - what are you going to do about it?
The Mecosta County Road Commission provides dust control applications. You will receive at least one application and up to three applications per season depending on Township participation on county maintained roads. We do document when and where we have brined, however we cannot provide information such as when we will brine again.
The gravel road I live on is full of holes - when are you going to grade it?
In the summer, roads are always graded prior to having brine applied. In addition, we try to blade gravel roads after it rains and the road has softened up. In the winter, there is not much we can do until the frost is out of the roads. Grading during very dry weather causes the road materials to dry out, causing them to loose their binding qualities and creating more dust.
How do I get a culvert for a driveway?
The Road Commission is not a supplier of driveway culverts. As a property owner you must obtain your driveway culvert from a local vendor. The only instances where we install driveway culverts are when we are doing a major ditching or construction project on a road.
How close to the road can I plant my shrubs or trees? How close to the road can I install a fence or put up a building?
NO objects shall be placed within the County Right-of-Way without proper authorization and a permit from the Road Commission.
Where does the Road Commission get its operating funds?
The Road Commission's main source of funding is the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF), which is comprised of gas and weight taxes, and vehicle registration fees, and is distributed by the state through a formula. The Road Commission does not receive property taxes. There is a total of 37.3 cents of transportation taxes per gallon on gasoline sold within Michigan. This amount consists of 19 cents for state tax and 18.3 cents for federal tax. The sale of gasoline is also subject to the 6 percent sales tax in Michigan, however, this amount is not used for transportation improvements.
People are always speeding on my road. How can I get the speed limit lowered and some signs put up to slow them down?
The Road Commission is the agency that installs and maintains all traffic signs on county roads. State law requires that the Road Commission must follow the requirements of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or risk losing state funding for road maintenance. In order to install regulatory-type signs like no parking signs and speed limit signs, the Road Commission must initiate a traffic study of the road in conjunction with the Michigan Department of State Police (MSP) and Township Officials. The study includes a review of traffic counts, accident history, speed studies, the character of the area along the road, and any other information available regarding the problems in the area. While the Road Commission is a participant in the traffic study and analysis, the guidelines of the MUTCD and judgment of the Michigan Department of State Police largely determine what speed limit will be adopted. At the conclusion of the study the MSP issues a written Traffic Control Order directing the Road Commission to install specific signs at specific locations on the road, and to record the completed Traffic Control Order at the County Clerk's office. Click here for the Speed Study request.
How can I get a Children Playing sign put up to protect my children?
The Road Commission no longer places or maintains Children Playing signs, although there are still several of these signs scattered throughout our road system. Prior to the revision of the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in 1983, these signs were acceptable for use on county roads. Studies done nationally leading up to that revision demonstrated conclusively that, while these signs may make parents and children feel safer, they have absolutely no effect on driver behavior, and do not slow traffic speeds as might be expected. To the extent that the signs might make parents or children think they are safer when the danger is still present, these signs can actually reduce safety. The best policy is still to be sure to keep children as far away from the road as possible, and don't allow children to play in or near the road.
Why do you spread all that tar and gravel on the paved roads? There was nothing wrong with the road and now it's a mess.
The process you are referring to is seal coating, which most road agencies in Michigan use as a relatively low cost method of preserving existing pavements. The tar is actually an emulsion of water and liquid asphalt, which penetrates and seals small cracks in the existing pavement. Sealing these cracks on a regular basis prevents water from seeping into and softening the base of the road and over time causing potholes to form. The crushed stone that we use for cover material sticks to the emulsion and, after rolling and sweeping, provides a slightly roughened skid resistant surface to improve safety. Although seal coating can preserve and extend the life of the pavement, it is only a surface treatment and does not fill any existing bumps, holes, or irregularities and thus does not improve the ride quality. For this reason it is important to apply seal coat to a road BEFORE this deterioration occurs, which leads us to seal coat roads that are in generally good condition rather than waiting for them to deteriorate to the point that extensive patching is necessary.
Why are weight restrictions placed on county roads each spring?
When the roads thaw out from the top down each spring, moisture is trapped on the surface, and heavy loads would cause the break-up of gravel and bituminous surfaces.
An animal was hit near my house and it stinks. What are you going to do?
When an animal has been hit and it is in the travel portion causing a road hazard the Road Commission will move the animal off the road way. When an animal is hit, and it is not in the travel portion therefore no cause for immediate danger it is the responsibility of the property owner to remove the animal if they so choose.
