Service Requests
As you come across potholes, contact us with a good description of where they are -- nearest address, distance from intersection, what side of the road, etc. We can always use another set of “eyes” out there!
Report road problems to 231-922-4848 or email us at: gtcrc@gtcrc.org
Winter Preparedness
We are gearing up for winter. Our winter sand pile is nearly as tall as as our salt barn. Sander boxes, spreaders and blades are being installed as our trucks change gears from summer to winter operations.
There is still time to check your furnace and its filters, smoke detectors, chimneys and mailboxes. The often-overlooked mailbox needs to be checked, too. Click here for a quick overview on mailbox winter survival tips - a few minutes of inspection and repair could save hours of outdoor repairs and lost/damaged mail.
Snowfall summary is as follows:
November 2011 2.5"
December 2011 2.75"
January 2012 48.50" for a season total of 53.75"
Check the snowfall detail amounts here.
Notice to Bidders
We are currently out for Bid Annual Material and Services so if you know a business that would benefit from knowing, please let them know or pass along their information to us so we can send them an email. The items out for bid are too numerous to list here, so please visit our Bid page.
The Road Commission is also going out for bid for Truck(s) and Installation of Equipment for the trucks. Please visit our Bid page for details.
PrintSignals, Signs and Speed Limits
General Signs - Requests for signs are a daily occurrence at the Road Commission. Any request receives our consideration, but ALL installations within the road right-of-way must adhere to the “Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.” If signs are unreasonable, such as an artificially low speed limit, the general public will ignore them. If we granted all requests for signs without meeting certain conditions (called warrants) as outlined in the manual, there would be overpopulation of signs and motorists would also ignore them. Requests for “Children Playing” signs are a good example. These signs are limited to locations where children are expected to be present, such as school playgrounds and designated parks.
Speed Limit Signs - A common misunderstanding is that the Road Commission has the authority to install speed limit signs at their sole discretion. Before a speed limit can be posted, a joint “speed study” must be conducted with representatives from the Township, Road Commission and Michigan State Police. Radar guns are used to determine what speed 85% of the motorists are driving. The assumption is that the majority of motorists will drive what seems to be a reasonable speed. We have had experiences where citizens asked for a “speed study” with the hope of seeing a reduced posted speed. However, the study resulted in raised speed limit. Residential areas with houses on both sides of the road and in close proximity are deemed to be “prima facie” – meaning a driver should know without a posted sign the reasonal speed limit is 25 MPH. Contact us if you would like a brochure on this topic mailed to you.
Here's a link to the Michigan State Police's youtube video on establishing speed limits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5pzYoX1cTw&feature=youtu.be
Traffic signals must also meet a series of warrants for an installation to be justified. Road Commission staff monitors and collects traffic data to determine when warrants are met.
Some general information - Entrances into subdivisions are provided with a 25 MPH speed limit sign. We do not participate in speed limits on private roads – they are outside our jurisdiction. Unposted, county roads are presently 55 MPH. There has been legislative discussion to allow for speed limits on gravel roads under certain criteriasm but it has not approved. Motorists driving on gravel roads must do so with the knowledge that gravel roads are subject to changing conditions and to drive accordingly.
What can a resident do if motorists violate the posted limit? The Road Commission is not an enforcing agency. Typically, if tickets are issued, the message gets out and the speeding is reduced. Experience shows that the majority of tickets issued are to local residents. If neighbors talk to neighbors, some peer pressure can help alleviate the problem.