Flint Township View

2014 road projects OK’d





FLINT TWP. — Trustee George Menoutes is finally getting his wish. After several years of his complaining about washboard driving conditions on Calkins Road, the project has moved to the top of the list recommended by the township’s Road Advisory Committee.

Paving and milling on Calkins between Elms and Dye roads is one of six road millage paving projects for the 2014 construction season, recently approved by the township board.

The Calkins project is scheduled to be done over three years in order to spread the total cost across 50/50 funds available each year from the Genesee County Road Commission. Flint Township expects to get about $54,130 in 50/50 funds from the road commission this year; $51,424 next year and about $48,850 in 2016.

But the order of the Calkins project has been reversed. Work this year will cover the section of Calkins between Elms and Dye Road. The segment between Dye and Linden is slated to be done in 2015 and from Linden to Graham in 2016.

Township Supervisor Karyn Miller said the order was reversed because of heavier traffic counts and more residents on the westernmost leg of the road.

Estimated costs for the Elms to Dye project is $166,624 compared to $121,320 initially slated for the Linden to Graham portion and will exceed the road millage budget. The township’s share of costs is about $112,494.

Other projects slated for this year are:

• Milling and paving in the Mandeville Subdivision (Riviera Drive, Simca Street, Renault Drive, Catalina Drive and Bel Air Drive) at an estimated cost of about $114,984.

• Milling and paving work on Cambrian Drive and Litchfield Drive at an estimated cost of $67,783.

• Milling and paving on Norko Drive at an estimated cost of $34,375.

• Signal upgrade at Norko Drive and Linden Road, $9,900.

• Crack seal at various locations, $10,000.

Also, road millage ditching work on Grassmere Avenue is estimated at $40,000.

A proposal to allocate $35,000 for a supplemental snow plowing program was removed from the 2014 projects list. The funds would have covered five major snow events similar to a pilot project in effect for the past three years in which a private contractor plowed township streets for snowfalls of five inches or more.

The pilot project has ended but Miller said the road commission is working on a similar snowplowing plan to serve four communities – Flint Township, Mt. Morris Township, Mundy Township and Genesee Township.

When that contract is ready it will be brought to the board for consideration, she said.

The 2014 Municipal Street Fund has budgeted expenses of $570,510, leaving a projected end-of-the year- fund balance of $5,652, according to additional information provided by controller Beth Takacs.

She also said tentative estimates received from the road commission indicated spending at about $30,000 less than projected in 2013. If that pans out, those additional funds would become available for 2014 road projects.


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