MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Some of Meridian Township’s roads are going to have a new look as a result of four construction projects that are soon to be underway.

The 2020 Meridian Township Road Construction Plan includes just over 10 miles of construction work repaving roads as well as about 17 miles of preventative maintenance crack sealing work as stated by Meridian Township’s website. The construction will be focusing on local roads that are in the worst conditions.

“The roads that people live on, in their neighborhoods, are what we call local roads. There’s about 147 miles of those in the township,” said Derek Perry, the Deputy Township manager and Director of Public Works and Engineering. “Over one-third of the local roads are in what we call poor to failed condition,”

The Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) system was used last
year to rate the road conditions as they are driven over, Perry said.

“Even though townships don’t own the roads, townships had to come to the table with more money if they wanted more road work done and the township has done that for many years,” said Perry. “The county pretty much has their hands tied and they have to spend the majority of their money on the primary road system which are the roads that most people drive on.”

The total 2020 road budget is over $4 million, with $3.7 million coming from the 10-year local road bond approved by voters last year, according to Meridian Township’s website. The remaining funding will come from the Ingham County Road Department (ICRD) and Township General Fund. Township Engineering staff are currently working with the Ingham County Road Department to put together a contract to seal cracks on local Township roads. This will prevent the roads that are in good condition from prematurely deteriorating according to the township.

“We’re only doing crack sealing this year. It’s just because we’re just starting the program. That will be very minimal,” said Perry. “Most people honestly might not even notice. They’ll leave in the morning and they’ll have cracks and when they come home from work they’ll be filled in.”

According to the township, notices were sent out to all of the impacted properties for the road work, with additional individual notices being handed out to residences where concrete work will occur.

Road construction will begin during the first week of June. Updates as well as further information regarding the road projects can be found on Meridian Township’s website as construction proceeds.