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Council hears that utility delays are slowing Rochester Road widening and hurting nearby businesses
Summary
Council members raised concerns about business impacts from delays to the Rochester Road widening project, which City Engineer Scott Finley said is held up primarily by utility relocations (DTE, Comcast); staff and council discussed outreach, signage and possible city-led acceleration at additional municipal cost.
Troy City Council devoted substantial discussion on June 29 to delays and business impacts related to the Rochester Road widening project.
Councilmember Chamberlain and other members described complaints from merchants and customers as construction stretches into the high season. Chamberlain asked about options to accelerate work; City Engineer Scott Finley said the primary holdup is utility relocation, with DTE first and then Comcast requiring scheduled fiber transfers. Finley said utilities’ schedules remain uncertain and that any acceleration requiring overtime or additional crews would be a city expense since federal funds pay only for road work, not utility coordination.
Council members discussed stepped-up outreach — additional signage, hand deliveries to affected businesses, and working with the Chamber of Commerce — to make clear that businesses are open and reduce economic harm. Finley said biweekly progress meetings will continue and staff will provide updates to the council in advance of potential decisions about extra municipal spending to speed the schedule.
What happens next: staff will provide biweekly progress updates after the next utilities-clear day; the council signaled interest in exploring business outreach and signage and in being briefed before any decision to fund acceleration.
