Macomb County launches online portal to identify poor road conditions, reconstruction costs

Macomb County is trying a more transparent approach in addressing a topic that's been on most metro Detroiters' minds this winter: Road conditions.

While drivers weave in and out of lanes to avoid potholes and other road hazards across all of southeastern Michigan, Macomb County has debuted an online portal that documents the condition of its roads and bridges. Not only does it document problem areas, but the portal also identifies the costs of fixing the county's transportation infrastructure.

In its current iteration, "Macomb County Roads: Conditions and Costs" identifies 805 lane miles of roads that are owned by the county that are evaluated as being in poor condition. The county estimated that it would take $980,463,666 to reconstruct those roads. The online tool also names 44 deficient bridges across Macomb County, and provides an estimate of $80,779,325 necessary to reconstruct them. In total, that is more than $1.6 billion in estimated reconstruction costs as provided by the county.

"This new tool makes it easy for the public to learn more about the condition of our roads and the estimated costs to bring them into good condition," said County Executive Mark A. Hackel, according to a release.

The web portal also provides revenue numbers for road funding in 2018, as well as expenditures, and a list of construction projects both active and planned. "Macomb County Roads: Conditions and Costs" includes information on road treatments and maintenance techniques, frequently asked questions, and further resources.

Click here to access "Macomb County Roads: Conditions and Costs."

Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.

Read more articles by MJ Galbraith.

MJ Galbraith is a writer and musician living in Detroit. Follow him on Twitter @mikegalbraith.