CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — From runners to truck drivers, those in Clinton Township say pothole-riddled roads are making local streets unsafe.
“There’s divots and there are potholes. When I have to get over for cars, I’m a little nervous I’m going to roll an ankle,” said Megan Makin, who frequently runs in the area.
Truck driver Karl Savage said the problem is just as bad, if not worse, behind the wheel.
“I’ve come through here with, of course, a box truck as well as a semi, and I got to tell ya, I’ve actually blown a tire on an 18-wheeler,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of days watching other people try to avoid potholes, almost hit other people because they’re more worried about hitting a deep hole in the road than they are hitting another car.”
VIDEO: Take a ride on some of the residential roads in Clinton Township
Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem says the issue isn’t just a nuisance, it’s the most pressing challenge facing the community.
“We have 203 miles of subdivision streets in Clinton Township — 122 of them are currently ranked ‘poor’ to ‘failed,’” Gieleghem said.
According to Gieleghem, the problem stems from a funding formula used to allocate road dollars across Michigan, one that hasn’t been significantly updated in more than 70 years.
“That formula is called Public Act 51 of 1951. It has not substantially changed since 1951,” he said.
Gieleghem says the formula prioritizes funding for main roads, but leaves very little for residential streets.
He says that residents need to lobby their legislators to acknowledge this and ask them to work with local communities to develop solutions.
“This is about engaging the residents to make sure that the state is making that commitment to local roads, particularly in southeast Michigan,” Gieleghem said.
To help residents get involved, the township has posted this customizable letter on its website that people can send to state legislators.
They're also hosting a public "Driving Change" forum on April 30. Officials say it’s an opportunity for residents, drivers and runners alike, to come together and advocate for solutions.
“It’s a severe and intractable issue, and one that we need help to be able to fix,” Gieleghem said.
Savage echoed that urgency.
“Please, Lansing, fix these roads. It’s ridiculous,” he said.
