We’ve flipped the calendar and it is a new year. What hasn’t changed, however, is the need for road improvements throughout the tri-county area. The managers of Fenton, Holly and Linden all agree that tackling the problem of local roads in poor condition remains a priority this year.
Fenton City
Fenton City Manager Lynn Markland said, “One of the major issues that we need to resolve this year is a solution to pay for local road improvements. The gas tax reform by the legislature last year is inadequate to fund the needed improvements,” he said. “While appearing to resolve the road funding issue, the state legislature only provided a partial solution. The first few years of the new taxes (Act. 51) will go to fund previous MDOT debt that was created many years ago.
“We will not receive any substantial amount of funds until 2019 and then only an estimated $321,954.15,” Markland said.
The road study presented to the Fenton City Council in April of 2017, identified a need for approximately $2 million per year.