Road Commission of Macomb County - Progress In Transportation

Road Commission of Macomb County 117 South Groesbeck Highway Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 Phone 586.463.8671 Fax 586.463.8683		Lawrence J. Moloney, P.E., Chairman Dan G. Dirks, Vice-Chair Fran Gillett, Commissioner

Road Commission Elects New Chairman January 4, 2010 Mount Clemens – A veteran engineer with 47 years of experience in public and private construction on Monday (Jan. 4) was elected chairman of the Road Commission of Macomb County’s board. Commissioner Larry Moloney succeeds Fran Gillett who has been the chairwoman of the Road Commission for about seven of the 10 years she has served on the three-member board. “I’m honored by the faith and trust the other board members have placed in me,” Moloney said. “We are looking forward to executing our 2010 engineering, construction and maintenance program. “The total program includes 26 road projects estimated to cost about $40 million. Among them are construction and reconstruction of pavement, two bike paths and reconstruction of six bridges throughout the county.” Gillett nominated Moloney for chairman. “I think it was time to encourage someone else to take the reins,” said Gillett, whose appointment to the Road Commission board continues for another year. “It will be good for the Road Commission to have some fresh blood and new ideas in this job.” The part-time Road Commissioners set policy and oversee the independent agency’s 250 employees, who plan, design, build and maintain the county’s 1,700 miles of roads and 226 bridges. They also install and maintain about 900 traffic signals in the county. The Road Commission’s general operations are funded by the state from fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees. Including federal funds for road construction and other highway improvements, it has a total budget this year of $111 million. In nominating Moloney, Gillett said he has the training and experience in engineering and management to lead the independent agency in its last year. The Road Commission will be folded into the Macomb County government next year under the new charter that establishes a county executive. The county executive will be elected in November. “Larry is very dedicated and has a wealth of engineering and management experience that will help the Road Commission transition seamlessly into the county government,” Gillett said. Last year, the Macomb County Board of Commissioners cited Moloney’s experience as a primary reason for appointing him to the Road Commission. Moloney earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree from the University of Detroit and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit. He began his career as a design engineer in 1963 with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation working on hydroelectric power generating and pumping plants. He was an engineer at Selfridge Air Force Base and later with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he managed various water engineering projects for 25 years. During that time he also provided engineering and construction management support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Wastewater Treatment Works Grant and Superfund Programs in the state. In 1998, Moloney moved to the engineering firm, Wade Trim Associates, Inc., in Detroit, where he is a senior project manager. Also, at Monday’s organizational meeting, Road Commissioner Dan G. Dirks was re-elected vice-chairman. Dirks has extensive experience in transportation planning and management and headed up the suburban Detroit bus system – SMART – for 10 years before retiring in 2007. Since then he has operated his own business, consulting with cities and other governmental agencies on transportation issues. He earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Wayne State University in Detroit and did post graduate work in urban planning at WSU. Gillett cited Road Commission employees for their tireless work as the agency’s revenues dropped over the past five years and it has had to cut staff through attrition by about 18 percent – from 305 employees to 250. “I would like to thank the dedicated, efficient and hard-working staff who helped make my years as chairwoman productive during these very difficult economic times,” she said. # # # # # # # # Other Press Releases: 2010-01-04 - Road Commission Elects New Chairman... 2009-11-23 - EPOKE Systems Help Snow And Ice Removal... 2009-11-20 - Romeo Plank Widening Complete... 2009-10-28 - Mound Road Nativity Scene... 2009-09-14 - Road Stimulus Projects... 2009-08-12 - PUBLIC HEARING - Proposed Budget for Fiscal Yea... 2009-07-29 - PUBLIC HEARING - Van Dyke Widening (23 Mile - 2... 2009-07-23 - 10 Mile Resurfacing... 2009-07-01 - Resurfacing Projects - 10 Mile & 12 Mile... 2009-05-01 - Painting of Pavement Marking Lines... 2009-04-20 - Railroad Crossing Reconstruction Closes 12 Mile... 2009-04-14 - 12 Mile Road Resurfacing... 2009-04-08 - 2009 Road Construction and Improvement Program... 2009-04-01 - National Work Zone Awareness Week... 2009-03-11 - PUBLIC HEARING - Economic Stimulus Projects and... 2009-03-11 - Economic Stimulus Projects Approved... 2009-03-10 - I-96 and I-696 Corridor Improvements... 2009-03-09 - M-53 Freeway Rehabilitation... 2009-02-18 - Purchase of Road Salt... 2009-02-17 - Stimulus Highway Projects... 2009-02-09 - Bridgeview Bridge... 2009-02-03 - ITE-Adam Merchant... 2009-01-29 - 2009 Construction Plan... 2009-01-22 - Tilch Road... 2009-01-12 - Commissioner Gillett... 2009-01-08 - Expenses...