FAQs

Click here and then click on the Roads by Jurisdiction map link. If you would like a printed copy of a county map, call us at 586-463-8671 and ask for our Administration Department or our Maintenance Department to provide you with this information.

You may stop in our office or call us to request a map from the receptionist at our Administration Building located at 117 South Groesbeck, Mount Clemens, MI 48043.

The Department of Roads constructs and cleans out roadside ditches throughout the county on a continual basis as weather, workforce and funding permits. This work generates large amounts of excess soil. In the past, a homeowner could request this excess fill material, and we would deliver it to their property. Due to more strict environmental regulations now in place, the process is much more complex.

In order to have excess fill material delivered to your property, residents must complete the following tasks:

1. Contact your City or Township Building Department to verify if there are any ordinances regarding the placement of fill material.

2. Contact the Macomb County Office of Public Works, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Office, at 586-469-5327 and apply for a permit to have fill material placed on your property. The cost of the permit is based on the time it takes for final grading and landscaping to occur and can range from $263 to $1,542.

3. If the placement of the fill material impacts a floodplain or wetland, a permit will also be required from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNR).

4. When the required permits have been obtained, contact the Department of Roads Maintenance Department at 586-463-8671. We will require the property owner to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement, which states that the Department of Roads cannot be held responsible for claims arising from the placement of the fill material or damage to private property.

While this may seem costly or time-consuming, these requirements are mandated by the State to assure protection of our natural resources.

A damage claim investigation includes a review to determine first, whether the road has been maintained in reasonable repair; and second, whether the Department of Roads knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known of the existence of the claimed defect and had a reasonable time to repair the defect before the damage took place. In accordance with state laws, if the road has been maintained in reasonable repair, or if insufficient notice of the defect existed, the Department of Roads is not liable for damages incurred.

There are two Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL 691.1402 and 1403) that provide governmental immunity for defective highways in certain cases. Click on the link below for a printed version of these laws.

• MCL 691.1402
• 691.1403

A Damage Claim Form is available by clicking here. This form may be mailed or emailed to our Administrative Office (contact information is listed at the bottom of the form). Please provide all details of the incident, including exact location, date and time, and damage incurred. All claims must be submitted in writing and are subject to a full investigation in cooperation with our legal, maintenance and traffic departments. The investigation normally takes up to 14 business days. If the incident occurred on a state trunkline (any highway with an I, M, or US in front of it, such as I-94, M-53, etc.), contact the Michigan Department of Transportation by phone at 586-421-3920 or through their website at michigan.gov/mdot.

The Macomb County Department of Roads is a public entity. Our records are available to the public as outlined in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Click here to view the Macomb County FOIA Policy.

This refers to street lights used to illuminate roads, not traffic signals. The Department of Roads does not maintain street lights. Residents should contact the appropriate city or township office to report street lights that are out. To report a power outage or downed power line, contact DTE Energy at 800-477-4747. To report a street light outage, click here.

Visit the Department of Roads Permits page. There is a link provided to submit a permit application. If you have any further questions, please call us at 586-463-8671 and ask for the Permit Department or email info-permits@rcmcweb.org.

Any time a homeowner or contractor is working within the County right of way, the Department of Roads requires a permit and in some cases, a general liability insurance policy that lists the Department of Roads as an additional insured. For further information, please contact us at 586-463-8671 and ask for our Permit Department or email info-permits@rcmcweb.org.

If trees, flower beds or landscaping decor are placed too close to the road edge, they can be a safety hazard and a potential liability for property owners, utility companies and the Department of Roads. Items placed in the right of way area may also be subject to damage or removal by the Department of Roads or utility companies. Before putting any items in this area, please contact us to verify the right-of-way width.

Refer to the Right-of-Way Department page, which gives additional information pertaining to landscaping in the right-of-way.

The Department of Roads does not change speed limits or install signs based on resident requests or petitions. Speed limit requests are made by the local authorities.  A traffic study will be performed by MCDR, Michigan State Police and the local authority (township) as per State law. For more information, please click here.

Submit the request to the Department of Roads for review. For more information, please see click here.

During maintenance and construction projects, there are strict guidelines set by the state (Michigan Department of Transportation) as to the necessary signage, lane closures, speed limits, number of trucks required, etc. These guidelines are put into place to protect our road workers and the motoring public as well as pedestrians. Click here to review the guidelines.

The Department of Roads does not maintain street lights. Call 800-477-4747 or visit DTE Energy.

You can also contact the city or township where the street light is located.

Click here to complete the Service Assistance form. This will be emailed to our Maintenance Department so that a crew can be dispatched to take care of the problem. If you prefer, you may simply call us at 586-463-8671 and ask for the Maintenance Department. Local roads and residential streets in cities and villages are generally under the jurisdiction of the city or village. Expressways and state trunk lines such as I-94, M-53, Gratiot, Groesbeck and Hall Road are under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Click here and then click on the Roads by Jurisdiction map link. Our county map designates the jurisdiction of roadways by color. If you would like a printed copy of a county map, call us at 586-463-8671 and ask for our Administration Department or our Maintenance Department to provide you with this information.

Our maintenance crews are hard at work year-round to keep our gravel roads in good condition. However, with the increased population and traffic, especially in northern Macomb County. Each service center runs through a rotation of the gravel roads when grading. When the full list is completed, they begin again at the top of the list. We appreciate your patience in these matters. If you feel that the road is a safety hazard, you may complete a service request form available on this website. Click here to complete the Service Assistance Form. This will be emailed to our Maintenance Department so that a crew can be dispatched to take care of the problem. If you prefer, you may simply call us at 586-463-8671 and ask for the Maintenance Department.

Most gravel roads located within townships are considered local roads. The cost for paving these roads is shared between the township at 60% and the Department of Roads at 40%. Since the township is responsible for a portion of the costs, they must initiate a request for the Department of Roads to pave the gravel road. Each year, when we prepare the construction budget for the following fiscal year, we contact township supervisors for their input on local roads that they would like to have considered as a priority and whether or not the township is in a position to cover their costs for these projects. It would be advisable to contact your township offices to let them know you are interested in having your gravel road paved to bring it to their attention. In some cases, when the township requires assistance in bearing the cost of paving a residential road, a Special Assessment District may be formed and residents are then assessed a certain amount to contribute to the cost of the paving project.

Our first priority is to plow the state highways and primary roads because of the volume of the traffic. Local roads and subdivision streets are generally the last to be cleared. In the event of severe snowstorms, we may be forced to clear the main roads several times before we can begin plowing the local roads

Unfortunately, this is one of the hazards of our Michigan winters. In order to get through the many, many miles of roadway to plow, our trucks cannot stop their routes to manually clear a resident's driveway. The snowplow drivers do not have time to direct the plowed snow away from every driveway it cannot be done within the time constraints that we are forced to work under

The road right of way property which is owned by the Department of Roads serves several purposes. One is to accommodate the utilities, another is for your mailbox. Another reason is to create a type of buffer zone between your property and the road. Because we use heavy equipment in the maintenance of our roads, and especially when the road and right of way area is covered with snow, it is difficult to see the mailboxes. Many times, it is the pushed snow that will knock down a mailbox rather than the snowplow actually hitting the mailbox. In cases such as this, the Department of Roads does not replace or repair the mailboxes. There are state laws in place that provide governmental immunity for road agencies for incidents such as this while maintaining our roads. If you believe the plow made direct contact with the mailbox, please contact our Maintenance Department at 586-463-8671.

The Department of Roads does not remove/dispose of dead animals on the roadway. When we are informed of a dead animal on the road, the Maintenance Department will dispatch an employee or crew to remove it from the roadway to the shoulder area as a safety precaution for motorists. For dead animals at the side of the road, please contact Macomb County Animal Control at 586-469-5115 to remove and dispose of the animal.

The Department of Roads is responsible for two applications of brine on each gravel road per year. Normally, this application is applied by Memorial Day. We try not to apply the brine too early in the spring as it is quickly washed away with the rain. Additional applications must be requested by the Township, which shares in the cost of this maintenance. If you feel your road is in need of brine after completion of the initial application, please contact your township office or our Maintenance Department at 586-463-8671.