Roads

All levels of government share responsibility for America’s transportation system. In Michigan, drivers help pay for the road through taxes on gasoline, and annually registering their motor vehicles. Motor vehicle taxes are apportioned in State law to the Michigan Department of Transportation, and then onto county road commissions, cities, and villages.

In Michigan, county road commissions and townships share transportation-related responsibilities. Road commissions are responsible for maintenance and construction of local roads, while townships are responsible for non-transportation uses of road rights of way, sub-surface rights of way usage such as utilities and communication systems, and law enforcement. In spite of state law assigning maintenance and construction responsibility to road commissions, the state transportation fund does not provide sufficient financial resources for road commissions to perform their responsibilities at a level acceptable to everyone. Consequently, township boards across the state voluntarily contribute to their county road commissions to support road projects in their respective townships, as their budgets allow. East Bay Township has a policy to help fund Road Special Assessment Districts, assisting with 10% of construction costs, as their budget allows. 

Additional Links and Information

Four Mile & Hammond Roundabout:
Landscape Plan

Please visit the information sheet containing Frequently Asked Questions and the infographic from the Federal Highway Safety Administration. For a more detailed information, visit the Grand Traverse County Road Commission's website.