By Marc Schollett
Monday, October 12, 2009 at 12:11 p.m.
Read more: Local, Mdot, Fact Finder, Marc Schollett, Signs, Dots, Fact Finder
According to MDOT spokesman Bob Felt "the interesting thing about the green on the sign posts is they are kind of hard to see. We did that for a reason, so drivers can focus on their job behind the wheel and that's being as safe as possible". But MDOT's effort to find a color that wouldn't draw a lot of attention failed. Or maybe it's not so much the color, as the fact that there are just so many of those paint spots on signs along US 31, 131 and M-75. Whatever the reason, our viewer's spotted them and wanted to know what was up.
As Bob Felt explains, "We have a project involving about 100 miles of roadways, 3 different highways that need signs replaced. Once the sign reaches the end of its life because of weather and age we replace them. That's one way to mark the signs so the contractor which is working with us will know which ones to replace."
So over the next few months, all of the signs and stakes that have a green dot on them along US 131, US 31 and M-75, from Benzie County to the south and to Petoskey to the north will be removed and replaced. Felt says "In some cases the signs have been out there for 15 years. There comes a time in every signs life that it needs to be replaced for better visibility." But this effort by MDOT isn't just about replacing. It also includes good old fashioned addition as well. As Felt explains "where we have the green stakes with green paint on them that's where new signs will live."
If you have seen them you are probably saying to yourself, those signs don't look too bad, and there sure appears to be an awful lot of them slated for replacement, so how much is this going to cost? According to MDOT, they are investing half a million dollars to replace signs along 100 miles in Northern Michigan. And now you might be saying, I know of half million dollars of other improvements I would want before signs! I asked Mr. Felt about but that and he explained "We have federal money every year we have to use to invest in projects like this because we are required to take a percentage of the money we receive and put it into safety projects. As new signs come along so does new technology and there is some sheeting on some of these that have some reflectivity on it that's much brighter than the signs of the past so that becomes a better visible sign."
So the federal money, which ultimately actually comes from Michigan taxpayers in the form of fees like our gas tax, is restricted in terms of what MDOT can spend it on, and according to MDOT "That means we are not going to use it or can't use it to patch potholes, to do road construction projects or any other purpose including another form of maintenance."
So, we get green spots now and new signs by spring time. In the meantime, a few workers get a little green in their wallets. Felt says "This project and any in the construction industry is always a good day in the neighborhood when we can put people to work in some cases, its MDOT folks, in others its a contractor but that is still good news for Michigan."
So what do you think? Please leave your comments below.
