Atlas Twp. – Residents in the Coolidge or Henderson Road areas will be in for a smoother ride this summer.
The Genesee County Road Commission will be removing trees and ditching in preparation for warm-weather work, which will involve adding four inches of limestone, compacting the limestone, and crowning the center of the road to aid in water runoff.
‘When they’re finished, the roads will be comparable to Green or Burpee roads,? said Paul Amman, Atlas Township supervisor.
According to the township road maintenance schedule, work will involve the section of Coolidge Road running from M-15 to Washburn Road, and Henderson Road from Hegel north to Coolidge Road.
A tentative four-year road maintenance plan has also been scheduled, but not budgeted, said Amman.
Atlas Township spends approximately $180,000 per year on roads, Amman said.
A portion of each year’s road work has traditionally been paid by Genesee County, with funds distributed on a matching basis, based on a township’s population and size in miles, said Genesee County Commissioner Miles Gadola (R-5th district).
‘It’s not a lot but it’s better than nothing,? said Amman. ‘The roads belong to Genesee County and in their benevolence they give us $25,000 to fix their roads. We spend $200,000 to fix their roads. But if we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.?
In the matching-funds program, part of Atlas Township’s portion has to be spent on manpower from the Genesee County Road Commission.
Due to budget constraints, Atlas Township may pay more this year.
‘This year in particular there are some monies that may not be allocated,? said Gadola.
Funds not used can’t be rolled over into the next year, said Amman.
Approximately three miles of township road work is accomplished per year, said Amman, although there have been exceptions. About an extra half-mile of Irish Road south of McCandlish was worked on in 2002 when the Grand Blanc Huntsman’s Club, a local developer, and subdivision residents kicked in money up front for materials, with the township paying for ditching and labor, said Amman. ‘The (Genesee County Road Commission) garage did a lot of ditching during normal hours,? said Amman. ‘We would have eventually got to it as a township, but I can’t do dead-end roads before through-roads.?