OCRC 'The Road' Newsletter | May 2020

Ottawa County, Michigan sent this bulletin at 05/01/2020 09:00 AM EDT

May 2020 | Volume 10 | Issue 5 |

How are various road projects determined?

Warmer weather means the arrival of road construction season again here in Ottawa County.

We are often asked how we determine what, and when, certain roads are repaired.

The Ottawa County Road Commission (OCRC) continuously evaluates road conditions to identify replacement, repair, and maintenance items on an ongoing basis.

Our project lists are developed with priorities based on the evaluation of data such as:

Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) Road Ratings
Traffic Volumes
Capacity and Congestion Issues
Accident History
Maintenance Problems
Funding Sources

Every year the OCRC gathers input from local governmental officials, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), and the general public to determine improvement needs and develop a 5-year Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP).

Improvement needs not included in the SIP are typically addressed through the recurring, day-to-day maintenance activities by the OCRC.

Since 100% of the costs associated with resurfacing or other surface treatments applied to Subdivision Streets have been paid by the Townships and/or residents, the townships determine which Subdivision Streets are selected.

All about road construction signs, detours

Whenever a construction project impacts the normal use of a county road, warning devices such as barrels, signs, and arrow boards are placed in accordance with a traffic control plan.

The basic objective of a traffic control plan is to permit construction work within the county road right of way in an efficient and effective manner, while maintaining a safe, uniform flow of traffic.

Work in the construction zone, along with motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians traveling through the work zone, must be given equal consideration when developing a traffic control plan. Each traffic control plan is developed to be consistent with the national standards contained within the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

The OCRC relies on the cooperation of various news media in publicizing the implementation of major road closures and detours as a method of keeping the public well informed.

The latest information concerning road closures and/or detours on county roads can also be found on our website, www.ottawacorc.com, and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Be in the know this construction season

Another busy construction season is fast approaching.

In addition to local news media, we want to make sure you are informed about all of the latest news and information about our road work.

Here are the various ways that you can keep up with what we're doing during the upcoming 2020 construction season and beyond:

Our Website

The latest road closure information is available on the "Road Closures" section of our website. The section includes a detailed listing of the current work taking place, the type of work being done, and the estimated start and completion dates. An interactive map is also available with closures, detours and current resurfacing projects.

Additionally, important announcements about road projects are regularly posted on the "News & Notices" section of our website, and a complete list of planned projects is available on the "Construction Projects" section of our website.

Social Media

The OCRC regularly posts news and announcements on its various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @Ottawacorc).

This includes the latest road closure updates, news and updates about construction projects, and other timely road commission information.

Email

The OCRC also has a weekly road construction e-newsletter that is sent out to subscribers every Friday afternoon during construction season.

The email update includes news about upcoming projects and closures, a list of current road closures, and a listing of current and upcoming road resurfacing projects.

You can subscribe to this update email by visiting our website, and heading to the "Contact Us" section.

Load limit placed on Hayes St. bridge between 8th & 16th Aves., Wright Twp.

The Ottawa County Road Commission recently posted a bridge load limit for the Hayes Street bridges between 8th and 16th avenues in Wright Township.

A 25-ton load limit has been established on the Hayes Street bridge as a result of analysis during routine bridge inspections.

Signs giving notice of the new weight limit were installed last month.

The bridge remains open to the traveling public, and school buses and most public safety vehicles will still be able to traverse the bridge.

Vehicles that exceed the new weight limit on the bridge must seek an alternate route.

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Images included with press releases may be reproduced for editorial use.

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14110 Lakeshore Drive | Grand Haven, Michigan | 49460
616-842-5400 | Contact Us | Office Hours: Monday-Friday; 7:30AM-4PM

The Ottawa County Road Commissioners:
Tom Bird | Tom Elhart | Betty Gajewski | Tim Grifhorst | Jim Miedema

Managing Director
Brett Laughlin

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Who manages the roads and how are they funded?
The Ottawa County Road Commission manages the roads. The Ottawa County Road Commission is funded by fuel taxes, vehicle registrations and millage dedicated to the Ottawa County roads. Other property taxes you pay to Ottawa County do not fund road repairs or snow removal. Concerns about roads should be directed to the Ottawa County Road Commission. Questions? Use their contact form.

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