Frequently Asked Questions

What are seasonal weight restrictions?
Seasonal weight restrictions are legal limits placed on the loads truck may carry. During late winter and early spring, when seasonal thawing occurs, the maximum allowable axle load and speed is reduced to prevent weather-related breakup of roads.

Do I need to get a permit to put in a new driveway?
The road commission requires a permit and general liability insurance listing the road commission as additionally insured any time a homeowner or contractor is working within the county road right-of-way.

My road is full of potholes, when are you going to grade it?
We try to blade gravel roads after it rains when the road has softened. In the summer, roads are always graded prior to having dust control applied. Not much can be done in the winter until the frost is gone. If your road needs grading, please call our office or complete our on-line service request form.

How can I get the speed limit lowered on my road? 
When a request is received to lower the speed limit on a county road, the road commission and the Michigan State Police work together to conduct speed studies, accident analyses, and driving environment surveys. A recommendation is made based on an objective analysis of all the information collected. If a change in the speed limit is in order, a Traffic Control Order is submitted to the Director of the Michigan State Police for approval. Any decision regarding speed limits must be based on facts and an objective analysis of the roadway.

We live on a gravel road and would like to have it paved...
Local road improvements are funded by cost sharing between the township and road commission or can be funded through a special assessment. (Download Special Assessment Brochure)

I can not leave my windows open because of the dust...
Please contact your township for dust control applications. The road commission cost shares 1/3 of dust control costs with townships.

Why do you spead tar and stone on roads that are already paved?
This is called sealcoat or chip seal. Sealcoat is a preventative part of routine road maintenance that when applied causes the road to be water tight. This "seal" prevents water from freezing in the cracks and breaking up the pavement. A seal coat offers the best protection for the least amount of money, and makes a road last longer.

There is a downside, however, as vehicles travel over the new surface small rocks may come loose under the tires. When a motorist encounters a newly chip sealed road, which will be marked with "Loose Gravel" signs, the best preventative is to reduce the veehicle speed and keep plenty of distance from any vehicle in front of them.

A chip seal:

• *improves surface texture;
• *waterproofs the surface;
• *protects the underlying pavement from
• aging, traffic wear, and oxidation;
• *seals small cracks and imperfections;
• *improves surface texture
• *is a releatively fast resurfacing method at good cost value. 

I want to plant some trees or flowers along the road...
If landscaping is placed too close to the edge of the road it can be a hazard to the traveling public, maintenance vehicles, and pose a potential liability for property owners. Before planting trees or flowers along the roadway, please call the road commission to verify the width of the right-of-way.

Where can I get Information on current road conditons in Michigan? 
You may call the AAA Hotline at 1.800.411.4823 for current road conditions in Michigan.

Why does it take so long for my road to get plowed when it snows? 
Our first responsibility is to clear the state highways and primary roads. Typically, local roads and streets are among the last to be cleared. If the snow continues to fall or drift we may have to return to the state highways and primary roads before we are able to continue plowing local roads and streets.

A road commission truck pushed snow back into my driveway after I cleaned it out... 
Throughout the winter months, our crews will be out clearing the roads during and after snowfalls. At the same time residents are clearing their driveways. Many times while this is going on, a snowplow truck will go by and fill in the end of a freshly cleared driveway with snow from the road, causing frustration and more clearing for the residents. Please understand that the road commission's first priority is the safety of the traveling public and clearing the roads of snow and ice and pushing it off the road and shoulders, and sometimes into driveways, is a necessary wintertime evil. So why does the road commission push the snow off the road onto the shoulder, only to come back and push the snow farther back on the shoulder? The road commission usually makes one pass to open the road up so residents may get in and out. We then come back to widen the road, and then the shoulders for future snow accumulation.

Residents sometimes call and ask why we cannot pick up the blade when going by their driveway. This is not a practical solution and our drivers would never finish clearing the roads due to the multitude of driveways. There is, however, a method of clearing your driveway that can help minimize the amount of snow (and frustration) during the winter months:

If possible (not always practical), clear your driveway after we have finished plowing the roads When clearing your driveway, place as much snow as possible in the direction of travel, on the downstream side of the road.
Clear and area upstream from your driveway opening to form a "pocket" for the snow from the road to go into. The result? More of the snow from the road will go into the pocket and less will wind up in the rest of your driveway.

Your plow truck knocked down my mailbox...
Since mailboxes are in the road right-of-way they are sometimes knocked down by road commission trucks when plowing snow or performing other road maintenance. It is the policy of the Iosco County Road Commission to replace mailboxes and/or posts that have actually been hit by our equipment. If the mailbox or wooden post was broken off from the force of the snow coming off the blade, we do not replace or repair it. Please call our office for more information.

There is a dead deer on the side of the road...
The road commission will only remove animal carcasses in the traveling portion of the county right-of-way that create a safety hazard to the traveling public.

There are a lot of children in our neighborhood and we would like a "Children At Play" sign...
"Children At Play" signs may only be used in areas designated for play (playgrounds, parks, schools). The sign does not regulate the speed of vehicles but warns drivers of the conditions that may call for a reduction in speed.

There have been a lot of accidents at a corner in our neighborhood. I think we should have a traffic signal there. If I get enough signatures, can we have one?
Petitions are not a bases for the installation of a new traffic signal. Michigan has developed a set of 11 guidelines, called warrents, to determine whether a traffic signal is needed. Information such as:

Is the main road's traffic flow so constant that side-road traffic cannot enter or cross the main road?
Have a significant number of accidents occured at this intersection?

Request for traffic signals are reviewed, with the decision made on the 11 warrents.

The streetlight on the corner is out. Does the road commission fix these?
No - Please contact Consumers Energy at 1.800.477.5050 to report the streetlight that needs to be replaced.

Is the Iosco County Road Commission responsible for maintenance on the state highways? 
The Michigan Department of Transportation is ultimately responsible for routine maintenance on all state highways. MDOT cantracts with the Iosco County Road Commission to maintain the state highways located in Iosco County. Some of the services we provide incluse snow plowing, pothole filling, grass cutting, sweeping and guardrail repair.