Washtenaw County Road Commission Q&A

How does the WCRC decide what roads are to be repaved in a given year? What specific factors are taken into consideration?
We look at the condition of the pavement, traffic volumes, funding sources, local contributions are all some of the items we look at when we decide which roads should be overlayed.

On roads that are going to be repaved or constructed, how does the WCRC decide which roads will have paved shoulders or bike lanes, and at what point in the process is the decision made? What specific factors are taken into consideration when making the decision?
Generally on all new construction projects we included paved shoulders or wider outside lanes. On resurfacing projects we include paved shoulders on our federally funded projects and on projects we receive funded from our sources, such as the County Parks.

Does WCRC dedicate a certain percentage of overall funds to accommodate non-motorized travel? Is there a set lower limit or upper limit? Does the WCRC track how much is spent on non-motorized facilities and, if so, can you provide some figures for recent years?
We are required to spend 1% of MTF revenue on non-motorized facilities. We track this each year, and for the past ten years. During the past ten year total funds spent for non-motorized is over $6,000,000.

Can the WCRC apply for federal funding (TEA-21 or equivalent) for non-motorized projects such as bike lanes? If so, how often is this done and what have been the results?
We can apply for federal enhancement funds, for non-motorized facilities, but to date we have not directly applied for those funds. We have applied on be half of the Townships or County Parks, and we are currently constructing two projects funded with federal enhancement money. One is for the County parks near St. Joseph Hospital and one with Ypsilanti Twp., along Tyler Road.

Is it possible to have a bike lane or paved shoulders added to a road that is not otherwise scheduled to be repaved? Or to repave just the edge of a road if it has seriously deteriorated?
Adding a paved shoulder to an existing road is not a good maintenance practice, since the joint between the old and new pavements could be a hazard to bikes and motorist. By doing it when we overlay the road, it ties everything together, which is safer and last much longer.

What is the policy of the WCRC towards chip-sealing roads? When and how often is it done, and what kind of roads get this treatment?
Roads that have been overlayed are generally chip-sealing 5-10 years after an overlay.

Since riding on a chip-sealed surface is, at best, unpleasant for cyclists and, at worst, dangerous (for several days/weeks after it's done), is it possible to chip-seal a road without applying the material to the road
shoulder or bike lane or allowing it to accumulate there?
No, we have to apply the chip-seal to the complete road surface.

What's the best way for cyclists to influence what roads get paved shoulders or bike lanes?
Contact the Road Commission Board and the County Parks Commission and express your desires, and your appreciation for the work that has been done.

What's the best way for cyclists to notify the WCRC of hazardous road conditions?
Call our main phone number 761-1500, anytime and leave a message after hours or inform our receptionist between 7 and 4.

Thanks to Roy Townsend, Director of Engineering/County Highway Engineer, for answering our questions.