The 2015 Road Program for the Marshall County Highway Department was approved by the County Commissioners during their meeting Monday.

Supervisor of County Highways, Jason Peters said he plans to chip and seal 11.5 miles of roadway this year.  Roads selected include North Michigan Road from the city limits to 3rd Road, a 6 mile trek.   Elm Road from US 6 to the Bremen town limits, 4th Road from East Shore Drive to Filbert Road, 2C Road from Lilac Road to 3rd Road and 5th Road from Union to Underwood will be completed at a cost of $165,000.  Peters said these road were selected because we pugged them last year.

Peters plans to pave 5 miles of county roadway at a total estimated cost of $400,000.  Roads on this year’s plan include 2 miles of Plymouth Goshen Trail, 3 miles of the East County Line Road and 6th Road from Queen Road to Rose Road.

Road repair preparation work includes identifying road to berm and ditch, if required leveling up and smoothing out and patch post holes.

Expenses to date are $181.989 for road repairs not included in the 2015 road plan.  An additional expenditure of $100,000 included limestone and dry millings due to the winter damage.

The Highway is currently working with MACOG to have PASER ratings, the nationally accepted rating system.  The project will inventory road, evaluate the condition of the pavements and help to set priorities for projects.  The rating system is from a 1 on the low end to 10 on the high side.  Peters said, “So far, are best roads are rated at a 5 but most of our roads are rated between a 2 and 4.”

Rumor has it that residents on 5th Road are circulating a petition to have their road paved.  The LTAP assessment said the 2 miles from US 331 to Cedar Road has totally failed and due to the heavy truck traffic repairs were estimated at $2 million.  Peters said, “Just to turn that road back into a gravel road will cost an estimated $75,000.”

With another piece of bad news Peters said, “The final bridge inspection placed 14 bridges on the priority replacement schedule for 2016 to 2024 at an estimated cost of $18,795,000.”  Annual tax funding is approximately $697,862.  It was noted that there may be some federal funds available for bridge projects.

The Commissioners endorsed the road plan.