BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Snow Apple Drive and Parview Drive in Independence Township remain at the top of the list of most potholed roads in the Clarkston area, as selected by readers on Facebook’s Clarkston News page.
“Snow Apple is the worst,” posted Robin Ron.
“If you think you have seen potholes, take a drive down Parview, it’s like driving in a third world country, no joke, the entire road is jacked,” Katherine Butler Shrout said.
“They need to take this (Parview) back down to a dirt road so it will be maintained,” said Ellen Dixon.
Votes went with other local streets, too.
“Church Street behind Renaissance,” said Kimberly Berry. “It’s completely undrivable. People have to drive on the sidewalk area literally to get through.”
“Glenburnie Road between Miller and Snowflake is crazy awful,” said Sherry Pifer-Elliott.
For the City of the Village of Clarkston, Miller Road and Waldon Road where it meets M-15 top the list. The city is applying for two matching grants from the Michigan Economic Development Transportation Fund to rebuild them.
“Miller is beyond hope. It needs a complete redevelopment,” said City Manager Jonathan Smith at the April 8 City Council meeting. “It would be a great help to the city.”
The grant proposal is to use $110,000 in city paid-parking revenue in 2019 and $76,000 in parking revenue in 2020. The $186,000 total would be matched by state grants over two years totalling more than $130,000, Smith said.
Miller Road would be pulverized and repaved in 2019 if the grant is successful. In 2020, they would work on Waldon Road at M-15.
Before then, the city will apply asphalt to Waldon Road as a short-term repair.
“It’s been really beat up,” Smith said.
The city applied for the grants on April 5, and winners are expected to be announced in early June. Odds of receiving the grants are better than 50 percent, said city engineer Gary Tressel of Hubbell, Roth & Clark.
City Council voted unanimously in favor of the $176,000 Miller Road resolution, April 8. A resolution for $84,100 to remill and repave Waldon Road at M-15, and possibly N. Holcomb Road, in 2020 was approved with a 4-1 vote.
Council member Scott Reynolds voted “no,” saying the city has enough parking and other revenue to be able to apply for the full $250,000 matching grant.
“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Reynolds said. “I wish this could have been something we discussed at the finance committee.”
Clarkston News readers also mentioned Sashabaw Road in Independence Township.
“Sashabaw Road is awful,” said Roxanne Sitko. “Got a flat on it last year and could easily get another this year. It’s ridiculous.”
Independence Township residents voted last November to approve a two mill, four- year Road Improvement Millage, to work with the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) and repair and repave over 28 miles of primary township roads.
Projects scheduled for 2019 include Sashabaw Road from Maybee Road south to the township border; Clintonville Road from Clarkston Road south to the township border; Andersonville Road near Bay Court Park; and Flemings Lake and Walters roads, around Clarkston High School.
Projects in 2020 include Waldon Road from the city border at Clarkston Junior High to Clintonville Road, and Sashabaw Road from Clarkston Road north to the township border. Scheduled for 2021 include Clarkston Road from the city border east to the township border; Eston Road from Clarkston Road north to Algonquin Boulevard; and White Lake Road from the city border at Lakeview Cemetery south to Andersonville Road.
Projects for 2022 include Holcomb Road from the city border near Miller Road northwest to the township border near Ellis Road, and Maybee Road from Dixie Highway east to Clintonville Road. Projects are based on Pavement Surface Evaluation and Ratings (PASER).
Subdivision roads like Snow Apple and Parview can be redone if local residents band together and create a special assessment district, according to Independence Township.
If approved by more than 50 percent of property owners in the subdivision, residents would pay a special tax assessment over 10 years. Road Commission for Oakland County would design the road, hire a contractor, and assess property taxes to pay for the project.
If a neighborhood creates a special assessment district, Independence Township would provide neighborhood road incentive funds to support it.