Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Roads Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County forms MDOT committee for highway project; resident requests speed reduction on Scottsdale Road
Summary
The board’s chair put together a committee to meet with MDOT about a local project after pulling a related resolution; a resident asked the board to pursue a speed reduction on Scottsdale Road and staff outlined the process involves township request, a county study and Michigan State Police approval.
Berrien County officials said they will meet with the Michigan Department of Transportation about a local project after a resolution on the subject was pulled from the agenda. Separately, a resident asked the board to pursue a speed reduction on Scottsdale Road, and county staff described the steps required to reduce posted speeds.
The county chair said the administration pulled resolution 280 to allow direct meetings with MDOT. The chair formed a committee of himself, Commissioner Dave Vollrath, Road Department Director Mark Heiliger and Road Department Engineer Kevin Stack to meet internally and then meet with a likely MDOT contact (named in committee discussion as John Smith). After that meeting, the committee will report back to the full board.
Public comment included a request from Thomas Brown of Royalton Township, who described increased traffic and heavy vehicles on Scottsdale Road and asked the county to consider a short speed reduction near residences. Brown said the area is used as a bypass and that drivers travel at high speeds past homes and a nearby school.
County staff explained the formal process: the township must formally request a speed study; the road department then conducts the study and shares results with the township and county; before a speed-limit change can take effect the Michigan State Police must agree and authorize the posting. Staff emphasized that the county needs admin-committee authorization before proceeding with a study and that the MSP’s response time can be lengthy.
The chair said he would check the status of any township request and communicate updates to the board. No formal change to speed limits was approved at the meeting; the item remains at the inquiry/discussion stage.
