The Traverse City area has received about two feet of seasonal snowfall as of Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Most of that snow arrived over Thanksgiving weekend. The Leelanau County Road Commission had everyone on duty, starting with the night shift Thanksgiving Day and continuing through Sunday, for their first “all-call” snow event of the season.
Road Commission Brendan Mullane said that crews had already plowed nearly 10,000 miles of road by Tuesday afternoon, with most of that snowplowing taking place over the last five days. Mullane said they had 31 drivers on the clock, working across their fleet of 20 plow trucks.
“The drivers answered the call in force this past holiday weekend,” Mullane said. “They deal with constant changing weather patterns, equipment breakdowns, etc., and they always take it in stride. This past weekend was no different.”
Mullane reported at the road commission’s Tuesday meeting that M-72 will be closed leading into Traverse City as early as mid-December. Early next year, the Michigan Department of Transportation will install a roundabout at M-22 and M-72, near Greilickville in Elmwood Township. M-72 is being closed so contractors can move utilities out of the way before the project starts in spring 2025.
Many roads going in and out of Leelanau County via Traverse City lead into this intersection, which often causes backups at the three-way stoplight. Once this spotlight is replaced with a roundabout, it may ease traffic flows.
But until the project is completed, construction could cause even greater delays for commuters who cross the Leelanau/ Grand Traverse County line. It may have a similar effect on traffic to the Grandview Parkway/Front Street project in Traverse City earlier this year, which partially closed roads south of the M-22/M-72 intersection.
Mullane said it may take contractors as long as four weeks to relocate the utilities starting in mid-December. He said that the road commission will publicize detour routes as soon as it receives them.
The road commission is also working with the National Park Service to address high water under the bridge over Shalda Creek on South Bohemian Road. Mullane said these water levels are caused in large part by an abundance of beaver dams.
In other business during Tuesday’s meeting the road commission members:
• Approved an updated Transportation Asset Management Plan. According to the board packet, local roadowning agencies with 100 certifi ed miles or more must certify asset management plans for roads, bridges, culverts, and traffic signal assets every three years. The plan was last certifi ed in 2022.
• Transferred $600,000 from the road commission’s general fund to the building fund. Finance Director Susan Boyd said that the road commission’s pension is almost fully funded, so this cash transfer helps keep the commission’s debt at bay.
• Completed the annual performance review for the road commission manager in closed session.
