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Residents press Mount Clemens for repairs, tree replanting on Esplanade
Summary
Neighbors described decades-long pavement failures on Esplanade that have created large potholes and safety hazards; the commission heard requests for priority repairs, tree replanting, and exploration of alternative funding or road redesignation.
Neighborhood residents told the Mount Clemens City Commission that a stretch of Esplanade near 30320 and 330 Esplanade has long-standing, severe pavement defects that pose safety risks and need to be prioritized for repair.
Tricia Salie said she saw an elderly man almost fall after clipping a large pothole in the median, and said the damaged condition has persisted for “a minimum of 30 years.” “Had it not been for his dog … there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this gentleman would have taken a tumble and could have cracked his head on the asphalt or worse,” Salie said.
Neighbor Matt Wojcik said more than 1,000 trick-or-treaters visit a nearby house each year and that sidewalks and road conditions are harming neighborhood safety and presentation. He cited a pavement condition report (based on 2020 data) that lists many city roads as in “fair” or “poor” condition and said Esplanade appears on a list of roads rated worst for at least five years.
Resident Eric Rick suggested exploring reclassification of some streets as collectors or county roads to shift maintenance responsibility and funding away from local assessments. Commissioners and the mayor acknowledged chronic underfunding of local roads by the state and said they are limited by the city’s revenue; they suggested staff explore grant options, redesignation, or prioritization rather than immediate wide-scale repairs.
The commission did not commit to an immediate repair schedule at the meeting but asked staff to continue exploring funding and prioritization options and to report back on whether donated trees can be planted on Esplanade.
