Have you driven any local roads lately that made you think, “Well, that road could use some work?” Based on a recent evaluation of roads in northwest Lower Michigan, there are a lot of roads that might fit that description. The study – which was conducted jointly by staff from county road commissions, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Networks Northwest – found that only 30 percent of the region’s federal-aid-eligible roads are in good condition. Another 35 percent are considered to be in fair condition, while 35 percent are in poor condition.

Partners in the study spent 2022 driving over 2,500 miles of federal-aid-eligible roads throughout the 10-county territory that Networks Northwest represents. (That territory includes Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford counties.) Per a press release from Networks Northwest, federal-aid-eligible roads “are defined as highways on the Federal-aid highway system and all other public roads not classified as local roads or rural minor collectors.”

The study, called Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER), is a visual method for evaluating road condition. Roads are graded on a scale of 1-10, with 1-4 constituting poor condition, 5-7 fair, and 8-10 good. Roads that receive “good” ratings should require only minimal routine care and maintenance, including street sweeping, drainage clearing, shoulder grating, and crack sealing. Poorly rated roads are those that require major structure improvements, including resurfacing or reconstruction. Fair roads land somewhere in between.

PASER maps for each of the 10 counties in the Networks Northwest website can be found here.