Macomb County approves package of road contracts, LIDAR-based sign inventory and ditch clean-out pilot

The Macomb County Board of Commissioners on an unspecified October meeting date approved a package of Public Service Committee recommendations that funds road-project changes, a roadside-ditch pilot and a countywide asset-management system for traffic signs and pavement markings.

Brian, a roads department staff member, told commissioners the board was being asked to approve a $105,309.57 contract modification for an 18 Mile Road project near the Bloomberg Drain to extend the easterly project limits roughly 200 feet so the new pavement matches existing cross slopes and intersection geometry. He said the modification reflects additional quantities and costs caused by that extension.

The board approved a professional services agreement to implement an enterprise asset-management system to inventory and manage roadway signs, pavement markings and, later, traffic devices. The presenter said the system would be provided by ViewWorks (referred to in the meeting as —Viewworks Enterprise asset management software—) and would combine LIDAR route mapping and GPS locations to capture roughly 60,000-plus roadway signs countywide. "This is a LIDAR-type application," Brian said, adding a vehicle will drive routes and capture signs and pavement markings so staff can log replacements and dates in the system.

Commissioners asked how new or replaced signs would be located and whether specialized hardware would be required; Brian said the initial LIDAR run will establish GPS locations for all assets and that new signs can be added and logged in the system.

The board also approved a $565,932.25 contract to Superior Contracting Group for the 2025 roadside-ditch ("ditch clean-out") program. Brian said the county is using the pilot to allow communities to select priority ditch locations; funding for the pilot as presented includes $300,000 from the county general fund and $200,000 from the Road Department, with up to $500,000 in community match funds available, creating a potential $1 million program pool. He said the county and road department money were identified from internal savings and bid underruns, and that some communities submitted multiple project locations across Chesterfield, Washington, Shelby, Clinton and Ray townships.

The presenter said federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds of $5,900,000 were identified for traffic-signal upgrades, producing a total project cost of $6,562,200 with the department covering the local match. He also cited $1,500,000 in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds for intersection safety upgrades. For signal construction and modernization, the board approved a contract with Dan's Escobade Inc. for $3,684,365.23.

Operations-and-maintenance cost-share agreements for specific traffic control devices were approved or noted: a cost split with the city of Warren for device #1115 (estimated annual operations and maintenance $3,000, with the county share $2,010), and city-controlled devices in Sterling Heights and Warren (devices #1124 and #1125) described as having no future county cost.

Commissioners also questioned procurement transparency for two contracts; the presenter said one contract (item 6d) had a single bidder and that bid tabs for another contract would be supplied if missing from the public packet. The board voted to approve the package of Public Service Committee recommendations (items 6 a'0) by voice/roll call; the motion passed 13 to 0.

The asset-management system and the ditch pilot were presented as operational tools rather than regulatory changes; no ordinance or statutory change was proposed in the presentation. Several commissioners asked whether ditch work also preserves pavement longevity, and staff said adequate drainage is critical to roadway lifespan but declined to quantify avoided future pavement costs.