Reconstruction of Auburn Road to Kick Off County's 2013 Road Projects

Shelby Township's westernmost section of Auburn Road will be one of the first county roads to undergo construction as orange barrel season 2013 gets underway next month.

The Macomb County Department of Roads has scheduled more than $38 million in road projects this year, with the $2.7 million reconstruction of Auburn Road between Dequindre and Ryan leading the way.

The reconstruction is due to start in February and wrap up by July, at which point three additional projects will already be in progress in the township.

Starting in June, and to the tune of $8.6 million, construction crews will begin widening Hayes Road to five lanes between 21 and 23 mile roads. Luckily for Shelby Township taxpayers, the township will cover only a fraction of the overall cost.

Thanks to federal funds, which will cover 80 percent of the cost, Shelby Township will only pay one-quarter of the 20 percent remaining. The Macomb County Department of Roads and Macomb Township will cover the other three-quarters.

Van Dyke will also be the subject of a widening project that Macomb County Department of Roads Director Bob Hoepfner said will be the last link of the Van Dyke improvements.

Starting in May and tentatively scheduled to continue through October, the roadway will be widened to three lanes from 26 Mile to West and to five lanes between 25 Mile and 26 Mile.

“It’s going to be a five-lane pavement similar to the one we’ve constructed all the way up," said Hoepfner, in a previous interview with Patch.

A non-motorized bike path through River Bends Park is the last improvement scheduled for Shelby Township and Utica. This project, estimated to cost $1.7 million, will begin in May and should be open for cyclists by September.

See a full list of the county's 2013 road projects here.