Prior to 1932, all county roads were taken care of by each respective Township. In 1931 Public Act No. 130, the Township Road Relief Act was passed. It is now referred to as the McNitt Act. This act required Counties to set up a Road Commission and to take over the jurisdiction of 20% of the township’s roads each year from 1932 through 1936. These roads were then certified with the State of Michigan and became the base for each Road Commission’s network of roads.

There were two types of roads that were not certified by the Road Commission during these years: Private roads and Platted roads (roads that only exist on paper). Private roads are any roads for which the right-of-way is privately owned, including driveways. There are still many platted roads in the county that have never been developed. They have been dedicated for the use of the public by plat but for the most part, are no longer marked. These roads could be improved and made into county-maintained roads or the adjoining property owners on these roads can request abandonment.