Summer Road Maintenance
Our gravel road is a muddy mess! Can you do something to stop this springtime situation?
We can try, but in the spring when the frost comes out of the roadbed, what was once frozen and solid turns to soft and unstable. It will remain this way until the moisture comes out of the roadbed. The best cure for this is warm, dry temperatures and good wind. If we attempt to haul gravel on top of this condition, it could turn into a bigger mess. There is a saying in the trade that “adding a bucket of gravel to a bucket of mud just gets you a bigger bucket of mud.” There is much truth to this quip, as adding sand or gravel to fill a mud hole usually has little or no effect because the gravel ends up mixing with the mud, just making more mud and sometimes aggravating the problem as equipment stirs things up.
The Gravel Road I live on feels like a washboard – when are you going to grade it?
Grading is done on a routine basis. However, many times it must be postponed because of the weather. If the road is too dry or too wet grading has little effect other than to re-arrange dust or mud. In the Spring, we grade roads after the frost has left the ground. In the summer, we try to grade roads after rain and the road has softened. The moisture will allow the gravel to pack down, limiting the amount of dust generated.
I live on a gravel road and I can’t leave my windows open because of dust – what are you going to do about it?
Brining is done on a routine basis. However, many times it must be postponed because of the weather. If the road is too wet, brine has little effect. In the summer we try to brine roads in between grading and after the roads have dried from recent rain. Brining also depends upon how much brine is available in the well, priority is given to higher traffic areas.
Winter Road Maintenance
Why isn’t my road plowed right away after it snows?
During the winter months the Road Commission, working in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation, has a night patrol to ensure road conditions are monitored and crews dispatched as needed. Snow removal is performed on a priority basis. The approximate 110 miles of State Trunkline are plowed first, followed by 180 miles of County primary roads and 525 miles of local paved roads and local gravel roads.
Two big challenges for a road agency are a heavy snowstorm that starts just before rush hour and a storm that continues for several days without letting up. In the first case, traffic slows to a crawl and the trucks can only move with the traffic. In the second case, the trucks must stay out on the main roads to keep them open for emergency vehicles and are delayed getting into subdivisions and gravel roads. Salt is not effective on gravel roads, so it is used primarily on paved roads, and sand is used on gravel roads. Please note that salt begins to lose its efficacy on paved roads when the temperature drops below 20 degrees.
The Crawford County Road Commission does not have a “bare road” policy. We maintain over 815 miles of county and state roads. Unpredictable weather conditions and limited financial resources make it impossible to maintain a bare road policy, our goal is to provide the best possible service for all of the traveling public in Crawford County. We encourage you to drive defensively and at speeds in accordance with road conditions.
Why don’t you split the shift of employees in the winter months to take care of subdivisions and local roads on weekends?
Split shifts would still only allow maintenance without paying overtime for 40 hours per week, whether those hours are Monday – Friday or Wednesday – Sunday. The Crawford County Road Commission has downsized to the point that spreading our drivers even thinner would not allow us to continue the current level of winter maintenance on every road after a snowfall. The only way to increase service to local roads and subdivisions would be to increase staff and/or pay more overtime. Unfortunately, neither option is viable at this time.
After I cleared my driveway a Road Commission truck pushed all the snow back into my driveway – why won’t you come to clean it back out?
Be sure to place snow to the right of your driveway as you face the road so plows will push it away from, rather than back into, the driveway entrance. That said, a reasonable amount of snow will always find it’s way back into your driveway. As the plow comes through, some snow will accumulate on the plow blade and deposit into the first open space that comes along. More often than not that space is a driveway. In the instance that your driveway is re-packed with snow we will not re-plow your driveway as this is a seasonal hazard that is impossible to completely avoid.
Why can’t I plow the snow from my driveway across or onto the road for the Road Commission to clean up?
According to the Michigan Vehicle Code, it is illegal to deposit snow, slush, or ice on any roadway or highway. This snow, slush, and ice can harden and result in damage to our snow removal equipment and create a safety hazard for the general public.
Your plow knocked down/destroyed my mailbox how/when are you going to fix it?
One of the major problems each year in damage to mailboxes. Most mailbox damage occurs when heavy, wet snow is thrown against a weakened post or box. The Road Commission cannot assume responsibility for such damage. Your mailbox is on the road right-of-way and is permitted by the Road Commission as a convenience to you.
By law, the Crawford County Road Commission has no legal responsibility to replace/repair your mailbox and/or post. However, it has been our policy to offer a standard aluminum USPS-approved mailbox upon request when a damaged box is brought to our office for an exchange. We do not replace posts at any time, nor do we install the replacement box for you. If the mailbox or post is damaged, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to replace them. Please keep your mailbox and post in good condition and located behind the curb or beyond the shoulder, where it is less likely to be damaged. Click Here for instructions on proper mailbox installation.
Why are weight restrictions placed on County roads each Spring? What are they and when do they go into effect?
Weight restrictions are legal limits placed on the loads trucks may carry. During late winter and early spring, when seasonal thawing occurs, the maximum allowable axle load and speed are reduced to prevent a weather-related breakup of roads. Limits go into effect normally Mid-February to May, depending upon the weather. You can also visit CRAM’s website.
What are “all-season” roads?
“All Season” roads are those that have been designed and built with additional strength and durability to withstand truck traffic loads all year long, and thus they are not subject to the reduced loading restrictions that are placed on most roads during the early spring in Michigan. Click here for a list of Crawford County’s Class “A” roads.
Vehicle Damage
Road Signs
How do 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 several of these signs scattered throughout our road system. Prior to the revision of the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) 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.
How do I have a speed limit sign placed on my road?
Speed limits on county roads are set by the Michigan State Police following a traffic study. Contact the Michigan State Police Department for further information.
Gaylord Post – (989) 732-2778 or Houghton Lake Post – (989) 422-5103
How do I get a sign for my private road?
Signs for private roads are the responsibility of the private landowner. The Road Commission is not responsible for maintaining or replacing these signs. If you would like to purchase a road name or traffic sign contact the Crawford County Road Commission and leave a message for our sign shop. Signs must be paid for in advance. Click Here to order a sign
State Highways
Is the Crawford County Road Commission responsible for state highways?
The Michigan Department of Transportation is responsible for Routine maintenance on all state highways. MDOT contracts with the Road Commission to maintain the state highways located in Crawford County. The services include snow plowing, pothole filling, grass cutting, sweeping, guardrail repair, and other services.
Right-Of-Way
What is the Road Commission Right-of-Way?
Generally, the ROW is 33 feet to either side of the centerline.
How close to the road can I plant my shrubs or trees? How close to the road can I install a fence, put up a building or sign?
Although trees, shrubs, rocks, and fencing add beauty, color, and character to our roadsides and provide an illusion of privacy to your yards they can be a hazardous and potential liability for Property Owners, Utilities, and the Road Commission. Therefore we do not allow any improvements within the right-of-way, including ditch fill-in and private signs. Depending upon the road you live on, we ask that you keep any improvements outside the 33 ft. of right-of-way and in accordance with your township and zoning laws.
I heard you’re going to remove some trees from our road. I like our trees. What can I do about this?
If tree removal is in the works and your property is involved, we’ll let you know by certified mail or personally. Then, you have the right to appeal the proposed removal. This does NOT include trees located in the legal Road Commission right-of-way.
Permits
See our permits page for more details
Road Conditions
Where can I get information on current road conditions in Michigan?
You can call the AAA hotline at 1-800-222-6424 for current road conditions in Michigan or go to www.michigan.gov/roadconditions.
Please do not call your local police agency for road conditions during a storm because they need to keep their phone lines open for emergencies.
Please do not call the Road Commission as our office staff is not authorized to give out an official status report and are not kept apprised of the status of roads throughout the day.
County Maps
See our County Maps page for more details.
Dead Animals
What do I do if I have a dead deer or small animal in my ditch or on the road?
The Road Commission will move the animal off the traveled portion of the roadway so as not to obstruct traffic but is not responsible for picking up animals and disposing of them.
Future Project Planning
How does the Road Commission plan for future projects?
The Crawford County Road Commission (CCRC) often hears comments that the reason we have all these road problems is because of “poor planning”. Usually, those comments are made by people who are not familiar with the kind or amount of planning that actually occurs.
The problem is not planning. The Road Commission bases its project planning for Primary Roads on a rating system that takes into account the physical condition of the road, the average daily traffic, and the physical ride-ability of the pavement. Local Roads are selected by townships based on the concern of the public and the amount of money that they have available to cost-share with the Road Commission.
The problem is funding. Current road funds go towards maintaining the existing system. Additional funds are needed to make significant improvements to the system.
Unfortunately, none of the new revenue generated by development goes to road agencies. Those new revenues, namely property taxes, go to schools, cities, villages or townships, county general government, etc., but not to MDOT or the Road Commission.
Even the best-laid plans aren’t worth much if the money is not there to carry them out. For this reason, many road commissions throughout the state are turning to local millage’s to provide for project costs.
How do I initiate a local road project?
All Crawford County Road Commission local road projects must be requested by the townships. Contact your township for more information.
Funding
See our Funding page for more details.
Streetlight (lamp) Outages
The streetlight (lamp) on the corner is out. Does the Road Commission fix these?
No. You must call your township offices to report a streetlight that needs to be replaced.
Paving Local Gravel Roads
How can I get my road paved?
Most paved local roads in Crawford County were improved using private development funds or contributions from the township government. The level of funding provided to the Road Commission by law is not sufficient to pay for the initial paving of a road. Although the township government has no responsibility for road maintenance or improvement and does not receive any road (gas) tax money, they have been very supportive of county roads over the years; you may wish to contact them to see if they have any plans to improve your road in the future. By law road commissions are allowed to spend only up to 50% of the cost of improvements for local roads. The other amount must come from other sources.