Possible delay to Co. Rds. 510 & AAA Project

The Marquette County Board of Commissioners gave a recommendation to the Marquette County Road Commission to delay the County Roads 510 and AAA Project to allow the public to have more input.

The recommendation requests the road commission to slow the project down and give the public more time to give input on recommendations from previous meetings.

The public would be able to give comments at an information meeting on December 4 in Powell Township.

“It appears, too often to the public, that the public gets to speak at after the insiders from mining interests that have already garnered the ear of the road commission,” Commissioner Steve Pence said.  “There’s so little we can do, and the road commission didn’t pair back some of their suggestions for this road, listening to the people, and give any reason why…more time could be allotted for public comment.”

The commission also approved a regional truck route that would help streamline the county’s trucking system.

Commissioner Greg Seppanen said the confusion on County Road 510 and AAA Project could have been avoided if a truck route had been in place.

“The idea is ‘Hey, let’s not cross that bridge again when we get there four years down the line and something new comes along’, and causes a shift in some new development,” Seppanen said.  “Let’s go ahead see that we have a growing community and we need to take a big picture approach.”

“This committee that gets formed will be looking at the broad picture, and that means Chocolay, that means West Branch (Townships), City of Negaunee, all the way to the far ends of the county.”

However, since the county board and road commission are separate entities, the road commission does not have to follow the board’s recommendation.