The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) in late December was notified that it will receive six federal “safety” road-funding grants, totaling more than $1.4 million, that will enable six road-improvement projects in 2021.
The federal Local Safety Program provides funds for local road projects that are intended to address areas where there have a been a concentration of serious-injury and fatal vehicle crashes or projects that include specific types of road-safety improvements.
“Safety is the Road Commission’s top priority, and the receipt of these grants confirms that our project-selection and design processes are focused on the safety of the road-system users,” stated RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar. “Every step of our processes is driven by concern for the safety of our customers.”
The six RCOC projects that received safety grants are:
- Construct a roundabout at the intersection of Sashabaw and Oakhill roads on the Brandon Twp./Independence Twp. border. Grant amount: $600,000. Estimated project cost: $1.5 million.
- Apply a high-friction surface treatment on three curves on Clarkston Road between Thistle Valley Lane and Pine Tree Road in Orion Twp. Estimated grant amount: $273,069. Estimated project cost: $303,411.
- Apply a high-friction surface treatment on a large curve on Baldwin Road west of the Baldwin/Indianwood/Coats roundabout on the Orion Twp./Independence Twp. border. Estimated grant amount: $166,673. Estimated project cost: $185,193.
- Upgrade traffic signals at 45 intersections by installing reflective backplates on the signal heads (a total of 396 signal heads). Estimated grant amount: $176,040. Estimated project cost: $195,600.
- Install centerline “mumble strips” on nine sections of roads (so-called mumble strips are similar to rumble strips, but designed in a way to creates less noise when vehicles travel over them while still alerting the driver that he or she has veered out of the lane). Estimated grant amount: $187,257. Estimated project cost: $208,064. Project locations:
- Milford Road between M-59 and Highland Twp. border in Highland Twp.
- Duck Lake Road between Cooley Lake Road and M-59 in Highland Twp.
- Bogie Lake Road between Cooley Lake Road and M-59 in White Lake Twp. and Commerce Twp.
- Wixom Road between Glengary Road and the Milford Village border in Commerce Twp.
- General Motors Road between Hickory Ridge and the Milford Village border in Milford Twp.
- Andersonville Road between Davisburg Road and Big Lake Road in Springfield Twp.
- Big Lake Road between the north and south legs of Andersonville Road in Springfield Twp.
- Andersonville Road between Big Lake Road and White Lake Road in Springfield Twp.
