What Is a County Road Commission?
County road commissions were organized by Public Act 283 of 1909 to achieve two
primary goals:
- To provide continuity in road construction and maintenance across the state.
- To provide cost-efficient and high-quality road services for county roads.
Each of Michigans 83 counties is served by a county road agency. County road
commissions are not a direct part of the general county government, except in Wayne
County which has a Public Services Department instead of a road commission.
About Us
The Benzie County Road Commission was established in 1930. The Benzie County Road
Commission has a three-member Board of Road Commissioners who are elected by the
voters. The Benzie County Board of Commissioners decides whether road commissioners
are appointed or elected. Until 2010, our Road Commissioners were appointed. Road
Commissioners serve six-year terms. The terms are staggered so that all Commissioners
are not up for re-election at the same time.
The county road system consists of both primary and local roads. Primary roads are
generally paved roads that function as either minor or major collectors. The local
road system consists of all other roads that are under the jurisdiction of the Benzie
County Road Commission. Currently we have 180 miles of Primary Roads and 446 Miles
of Local Roads (including seasonal roads). In addition, the Benzie County Road Commission
maintains 155 Lane miles of State Trunkline under contract with the Michigan Department
of Transportation.
