Aram Kalousdian

The Perfect Storm

The Perfect Storm

By the County Road Association of Michigan

     The winter of 2008 developed into the “perfect storm” for Michigan’s county road commissions. After experiencing years of flat or decreasing revenues and sky rocketing costs, a winter with higher than average snowfalls has hit local road agencies especially hard.

     Before winter arrived, reductions in staffing were already impacting the snow removal season. More than one-third of county road agencies changed winter maintenance policies; reducing weekend and night shift snow removal, approving overtime only in emergencies, and implementing policies to plow only when significant snow accumulated.

     Winter maintenance accounts for a significant portion of local road agency budgets. In addition to overtime expenses, snow removal stretches budgets in the areas of fuel, salt, and equipment.

 • Diesel fuel costs have increased by more than 300 percent in recent years.

 • The cost of salt varies based on the time of year and volume purchased, but some counties have experienced 40 percent increases over what they paid last year for salt.

 • Steel underbody blades on road plows which may need to be replaced two to three times daily during a winter storm have increased in cost by nearly 86 percent; and the cost to replace a 12-yard truck has increased nearly 65 percent over the past 10 years.

    Funding that has not kept up with basic maintenance needs requires road commission management to make difficult decisions on a daily basis. Road commissions have been forced to delay equipment replacement which in turn led to an increase in equipment downtime and fewer plow trucks available to respond to winter storms.

    By mid-January, the County Road Association of Michigan had started to hear that some road commissions were concerned they may have to make significant cuts to maintenance projects if winter continued to be harsh. By mid-February, several local road agencies were announcing they had exceeded their winter maintenance budget and every time they plow, it takes money away from necessary road projects.

    With budgets already in the red, the severe winter delivered cold and ice followed by unseasonably warm temperatures. The result statewide was a plague of potholes that continued until weather patterns stabilized.

    In 2007, 74 of Michigan’s county road commissions eliminated staff positions, and six counties experienced one to two week shutdowns. Road commissions in 22 counties reported postponing necessary road projects, and more than half of all road commissions reduced or planned to reduce funding for road preservation, which includes resurfacing and reconstruction.

   It is too early to determine the depth of cuts road commissions will be forced to make this spring, but this past winter has affirmed the need for additional road funding. Legislators must act to provide additional funding before road commissions in Michigan are reduced to a seasonal operation.

Posted by Aram Kalousdian on May 1, 2008 | Comments (4)