WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Why does it seem to take so long for roads to get fixed in Wayne County? We took a look at the process to get an answer.
The process of implementing traffic safety improvements in Wayne County can take years, even when public safety concerns are identified, county officials say.
The Wayne County Department of Public Services, which oversees 4,900 miles of roads with 52 engineers and a maintenance budget of approximately $27 million, follows a detailed evaluation process before making infrastructure changes.
A recent example is the intersection of Joy and McClumpha roads near Salem High School in Canton Township. What was once a four-way stop received new traffic lights in 2024, but the improvement came after a three-and-a-half-year process and cost $2.5 million.
“The municipalities and school district came to the conclusion we need to do an improvement,” said Scott Cabauatan, Deputy Director of Public Services at Wayne County. “We had pedestrian crossing concerns.”
The process for implementing traffic safety changes involves multiple steps:
- Engineers review reported crash data
- Consultations with police, fire, and EMS
- Traffic studies lasting weeks or months
- Securing grants and funding at local, county, and state levels
- Construction planning, including design and bidding process
“It does, it can be a very lengthy process, it can take years,” Cabauatan said.
Engineers must consider various factors beyond the number of lanes, including lane width, road width, and right-of-way width to implement infrastructure changes.
At the Joy and McClumpha intersection, improvements included road widening to accommodate turning traffic.
“We’re designing for the future, and we’re going to take those crashes, that data, and really to design the intersection and lighting necessary,” Cabauatan explained.
Residents with traffic concerns can contact Wayne County’s 24-hour call number at 888-ROAD CREW.