Who's wasting our highway funds??

**Gistok** · April-28-09, 04:35 PM

OK... driving down I-94 in Macomb County between 12 Mile and 8 Mile I recently noticed that some brilliant roadway folks [[MDOT?) decided to put mile markers every 2/10ths of a mile or every 1,056 ft.

Before this change, mile markers were in 1 mile increments, and are usually found attached to the nearest freeway ligtht pole.

But in Macomb County they are now clamped [[and screwed) into the top of the concrete freeway barrier. And each tall thin marker tells you that you are on I-94 [[with the red/blue shield), what mile marker it is... and what two-tenths of a mile you are at [[0, 2, 4, 6, or 8).

What a stupid waste of taxpayer money!!!

Do we need to be reminded every 1000+ feet that we are on so and so interstate at a particular 2/10th of a mile??

So far I've only noticed this in Macomb County on I-94 [[once you pass into Wayne County it still shows the older version of the mile marker at every mile attached to a light pole.

Is this something new statewide? Or metrowide? Or just Macomb County?

Anyway... with the shortage of money to fix up the roadways... someone really has he gall to waste money on this nonesense.... wonder which politicians relative, friend, or political contributor is getting this signage contract?

**izzyindetroit** · April-28-09, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Do we need to be reminded every 1000+ feet that we are on so and so interstate at a particular 2/10th of a mile??

The only logical reason I can think of is if you break down on the road and have no idea where you are. It would help any emergency vehicles reach you.

**rsa.313** · April-28-09, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

OK... driving down I-94 in Macomb County between 12 Mile and 8 Mile I recently noticed that some brilliant roadway folks [[MDOT?) decided to put mile markers every 2/10ths of a mile or every 1,056 ft.

Before this change, mile markers were in 1 mile increments, and are usually found attached to the nearest freeway ligtht pole.

But in Macomb County they are now clamped [[and screwed) into the top of the concrete freeway barrier. And each tall thin marker tells you that you are on I-94 [[with the red/blue shield), what mile marker it is... and what two-tenths of a mile you are at [[0, 2, 4, 6, or 8).

What a stupid waste of taxpayer money!!!

Do we need to be reminded every 1000+ feet that we are on so and so interstate at a particular 2/10th of a mile??

So far I've only noticed this in Macomb County on I-94 [[once you pass into Wayne County it still shows the older version of the mile marker at every mile attached to a light pole.

Is this something new statewide? Or metrowide? Or just Macomb County?

Anyway... with the shortage of money to fix up the roadways... someone really has he gall to waste money on this nonesense.... wonder which politicians relative, friend, or political contributor is getting this signage contract?

don't know about metro-wide, but these have been installed on the lodge since it was worked on [[in phases, last year and year before). i remember someone started a thread griping about the same thing a while back, and someone responding with an actual press release. you might be able to find the reasoning in the archives...

**Gistok** · April-28-09, 04:56 PM

That sounds like a good answer... but MDOT already has courtesy vans that ply the interstates helping broken down vehicles. Even CVS used to have courtesy vans [[why? I donno?), but I haven't seen one of their vehicles in quite some time.

**Jimaz** · April-28-09, 05:36 PM

No, no. This was a federal-level decision. Honest! It's nationwide.

I read about it maybe a year ago.

**Novine** · April-28-09, 05:41 PM

This is nothing new. The primary purpose is to assist emergency responders so that they can locate where exactly you are on the freeway.

http://www.modot.mo.gov/newsandinfo/...ileMarkers.htm

**gazhekwe** · April-28-09, 06:16 PM

It is nationwide. We saw them on the PA Turnpike earlier this month.

**Jimaz** · April-28-09, 06:59 PM

It seemed unnecessary to me too -- especially now that we have GPS. I remember wondering who got the contract and whether there was any hanky panky involved.

**Detroitej72** · April-28-09, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

It seemed unneccessary to me too -- especially now that we have GPS. I remember wondering who got the contract and whether there was any hanky panky involved.

I think some company who donated a lot of money to someone's campaign got a lucrative contract for the signs, but then again, I tend to be a little cynical about these sort of things.

diver1369 · April-28-09, 08:09 PM

There was a story on TV2 News at noon about how Michigan receives an unfair amount of federal highway funds, contributing more to highway funds than it receives back. I believe there was also mention of a poll of truckers that found Michigan roads to be the worst in the nation. I was unable to find access to the story on the Fox News TV2 Detroit web site. I have found this position on the issue on Carl Levin's web site that details the background of the underlying problem.
http://levin.senate.gov/issues/index...Transportation

Retroit · April-28-09, 08:16 PM

What's next: mileage markers ever 1/10th mile for the visually impaired? Signs in Braille for all the blind drivers?

**Hypestyles** · April-28-09, 09:17 PM

... whatever money michigan gets for highways.. we still have the top 5 worst roads in the nation... the worst!!! inexcusable!

mass transit plans are needed more than ever..

**Russix** · April-29-09, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

I think some company who donated a lot of money to someone's campaign got a lucrative contract for the signs, but then again, I tend to be a little cynical about these sort of things.

Do you think Cell block A or Cell block B donated more?

**GREENTROIT** · April-29-09, 07:22 AM

If they want to fix the roads, it's as simple as significantly lowering truck weight limits. During World War II Michigan was building heavy artillery so they raised the weight limits to accomodate this, but they never lowered them to a reasonable level.

Today, weight limits in the Great Lakes States are something like this [[and this is a guess):

Michigan - 165,000 Tons
Ohio - 80,000 Tons
Illinois - 70,000 Tons
Indiana - 80,000 Tons

.... Anybody notice the one outlier in that list is the one with the far and away worst roads? MDOT uses some idiotic axle-to weight ratio to explain their reasoning, but the fact remains Michigan trucks are about twice as heavy as everywhere else and the roads are 5 times as bad. Hmmmmm.

**Hornist9** · April-29-09, 08:43 AM

GreenDetroit nailed it. Load levels are so inflated, and the big Rigs can just tear up the roads. Also just who is checking the quality of concrete being used to make sure it's being properly made. I noticed a small stretch of Nine Mile Rd in Warren, that is between Van Dyke and Hoover that is less than 10 years old that is already worn out. Who ever did the work on that stretch of road just screwed the City! Roads shouldn't wear out that damned fast. I'm not talking about asphalt, it was totally new concrete that was taken down to the road bed and rebuilt and complete new concrete was poured...

I too am tired of seeing Michigan as a donor state, our Congressional people ought to start bitching very loudly and make some presentations to their colleagues about how poor our roads are. I was also reading Matt Helms column in the Free Press a while back, and read about some of the Stimilus package money being used for bike trails. WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE!!! Meanwhile, the ramp from Eastbound I696 to Eastbound I 94 is nothing but potholes on top of potholes. I emailed Helm and asked if he knew when it would be fixed, and he replied back not until 2010.

This sucks, especially after paying a 600 dollar front end repair on my PT Cruiser earlier this spring.

**hamtown mike** · April-29-09, 09:43 AM

I agree on a shady metal stamping contract theory. Lately on 75 they have replaced every sign and I mean EVERY sign including the mph cautions etc.

Somebody is making a mint!

diver1369 · April-29-09, 10:24 AM

Excellent point Greentroit. I was stating the same on another forum but didn't have the State weight limits for trucks.

**Novine** · April-29-09, 10:44 AM

"I agree on a shady metal stamping contract theory. Lately on 75 they have replaced every sign and I mean EVERY sign including the mph cautions etc."

The federal sign standards have changed. They use a new font which makes the signs easier to read at night and for those who's vision isn't as good as it used to be.

"I was also reading Matt Helms column in the Free Press a while back, and read about some of the Stimilus package money being used for bike trails. WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE!!!"

Only if you believe that having more cars on the roads is a good thing. More people are commuting by bike to work these days and they use these trails to get there. Those dollars are set-aside for those kinds of projects so they wouldn't be available for road repaving anyways.

**Gistok** · April-29-09, 11:24 AM

Great feedback all... my biggest beef about all those new signs that are currently only on the Macomb County stretch of the roadway is that this cost is benefitting a few unfamiliar [[or clueless) drivers, whereas using the money to fix the roadways would benefit ALL the drivers.

For anyone who has taken the 10 Mile, 11 Mile/I696 or 12 Mile exits off of I-94, it is not a pleasant experience. The roadway absolutely sucks. That 1/4 cloverleaf from westbound 11 Mile to westbound I-94 has to be the worst shithole of a roadway since they fixed the Paul St. bridge over the Southfield Fwy. [[voted worst roadway in SE Michigan on this forum a few years back).

In the last year I've had to replace 3 tires due to unfixable punctures thanks to these I-94 exits/entrances.... but at least I get to look at all those pretty new signs while I'm a passenger in the tow truck...

**hamtown mike** · April-29-09, 11:28 AM

"The federal sign standards have changed. They use a new font which makes the signs easier to read at night and for those who's vision isn't as good as it used to be. "

Couple of things... Many of the signs had no type to read like the black and yellow signs on curves etc.

Secondly, was sign legibility really an issue? I can see how it takes people to build signs-hurray for jobs. But who owns the company that makes the signs? Whomever it is, I'm sure they've attended a political fund raiser or two in their life

Instead of fixing the signs on the side of the road, why not fix ummm,.... the road itself.

Side note. my street has not had a street sign in 5 years.

**East Detroit** · April-29-09, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

That 1/4 cloverleaf from westbound 11 Mile to westbound I-94 has to be the worst shithole of a roadway since they fixed the Paul St. bridge over the Southfield Fwy. .

It is the worst. Problem is, then they bring out the traffic counters [[air hoses) and start measuring AFTER most people are avoiding the big issues and using Harper all the way to 8 Mile.

For a good time, send an email to your Mayor and complain about it. Then after recovering from the condescending reply, send your own reply asking if he is unable to interact with other governments as your representative. After all, if every exit/entrance into/out of your city is a POS then that will be the first and last impression of those who visit.

**Gistok** · April-29-09, 01:33 PM

East_Detroit... the biggest problem with that 1/4 cloverleaf onto I-94 [[as far as letter writing goes) is that technically that cloverleaf bend is located in Roseville.. but only used [[mainly) by westbound St. Clair Shores residents.

**mtm49269** · April-29-09, 01:49 PM

I've also seen the 2/10th mile signs on M14, just west of I275 and I96. But, doesn't the M in M14 mean that it's a state highway rather than federal/interstate like the others are? I've also seen almost EVERY sign, curves, cautions, etc. being replaced all over the place. Even on trips Up North, it's amazing the number of brand new signs popping up all over the place. At lest at some of the snowmobile crossings, the warning signs appear to be sponsored by snowmobile and other such companies. But they're obviously investing quite a bit of taxpayer funds - at fed. or state level - on these not terribly critical improvements.

**French777** · April-29-09, 02:05 PM

Almost every sign of 75 has Wood poles instead of metal poles. . .I mean It does look nicer. .but what is the point?

**Providence** · April-29-09, 02:14 PM

To me, something about the way MI does road maintenance seems extremely wrong. I have been in many other states, and I have almost made a habit of observing the look and feel of the roads while driving. It seems to me that every other state uses a different asphalt mix than Michigan does. The texture is different and the color is usually different. More importantly, in other states the roads are almost always in better condition than Michigan, regardless of their age or location. The asphalt used in Michigan reminds me more of the stuff you would pave your driveway with. I know about the weight limit issue, and I have no doubt that is a contributing factor, but Iâ€™m not convinced thatâ€™s the whole story. If I were to speculate, and I think I will, it seems that Michigan puts so much pressure on low bids that they pay little attention to material. And this works out well for contractors because they know they will be back in two years for more work. Iâ€™m sure it must cost the state more by repaving the same roads more frequently. And I canâ€™t even imagine what it costs communities in lost productivity while people sit in traffic. Is it just me or do our roads begin showing distress within months of completion?

Also, it seems that in Michigan large stretches of road get closed for excessive amounts of time. In the other states Iâ€™ve lived in, its way more typical that a portion of road will be closed one week, repaved on the weekend, and reopened the next. Lanes in Michigan tend to close for entire seasons. And I feel like I am way more likely to see a worker just moving cones than I am to see actual work happening.

Just my insight. I get way frustrated driving around the state, and especially around Detroit. And I feel like there is no one in an official position that would even bother to challenge the current process.