Roads & Transportation

All roads in Northfield Township are owned by one of three entities: Washtenaw County Road Commission, Michigan Department of Transportation, or private roads owned by subdivisions or individuals. While the Township has no authority over roads, we do participate in their care and upkeep. The County maintains primary roads: plowing, salting, grading and ditching on those roads through funds obtained from the State through gasoline and vehicle registration taxes.

All improvement projects and dust control on any roads, except primary roads, is only completed if the Township participates in the funding of the project. Although we receive no funds from taxes or the State, the Township recognizes that without contributions, road improvement projects will not occur. 

In the past, the Township set aside $50,000 annually dedicated to roads. For that level of funding we are able to provide two applications of dust control on the public gravel roads in the Township during the summer months. In 2009, the Board had committed to adding more funds into a pool for road improvements, and in 2017 the Board decided again to increase the funds provided by the township to include a third brine application. Annually, we set aside an additional $20,000 to $30,000 to be used for other projects. With funding at that level, approximately every other year we are able to complete a project.

Projects are chosen based on recommendations from the Road Commission’s priority list. 

Click on the links below for more information.