(WXYZ) - A new Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association report is naming the counties where Michigan drivers will find the state's worst roads.
According to the report, Wayne County has the most miles of "poor condition" roads, with 1,841 miles of roads receiving that rating. However, with that figure representing 26% of the roads in the county, Wayne does not have the distinction of having the highest percentage of poor roads.
That distinction goes to Oceana, where a whooping 66% of the roads are in poor condition. However, Oceana only has a total of 2,624 miles of road in the county.
Roads are rated as being in "poor" condition if they would require a complete structural overhaul to repair them. The process usually costs four to five times as much as routine maintenance.
Other counties in our area listed as having the most miles of roads in poor condition are Oakland and Washtenaw. Oakland has 1,292 miles in poor condition and Washtenaw has 977 miles. The reports also rated the cities with the most miles of roads in poor condition. Detroit was number one with 586 miles, it was followed by Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Flint and Livonia.
The report concludes that unless something is done, Michigan's roads will continue to deteriorate. It says that 42.3% of the state's roads saw some deterioration over the past 5 years. It also says that the winter of 2007 - 2008 played a significant role in the increased deterioration, concluding that the deterioration of roads that once stood up to the winter's heavy snows and frequent freeze - thaw cycles will continue.
