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Muskegon Heights' pothole problems highlight major funding shortfall

City Manager Troy Bell estimated the cost of necessary roadwork would total $110 million.

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — It's the $110-million question: what to do about deteriorating roads throughout the City of Muskegon Heights.

Throughout the spring season, a worse-than-usual pothole problem only served to highlight the extensive, expensive nature of the work ahead.

The repair bills, however, are also expensive.

Like the one Tacara Nicholson received for $1200.

“They don't want to reimburse or help fix the issue,” she related. “It's only in Muskegon Heights. Muskegon Heights has the worst streets ever.”

Since 13 ON YOUR SIDE first aired her story after she reached out near the end of April, and as of Friday, Tacara still didn’t feel many of her questions had answers.

As for this idea of relief, Tacara’s likely done holding her breath.

“We have to address the structural deficit,” City Manager Troy Bell related. “You have roads that have not been maintained for 20, 30 years.”

Decades of disinvestment in the Heights means a sizable proportion of its roughly 50-miles of road are approaching the end of their working lives.  

“Which means a full reconstruction,” Bell said.

A dedicated road tax adopted within the last decade generates $360,000 annually on average.

Yet, the cost of fully reconstructing a single block – per the price tag of ongoing roadwork on Delano—figures out to approximately $750-thousand, according to figures provided by the city.

On its own, the amount equates to roughly half of the funding pool the millage brings in on an annual basis.

At 50 miles of roadway, given the current pace, Bell estimated the work would require approximately $110 million and 100 years to complete.

“The infrastructure was created here to be supported by 5,000 residences. Right now, we have 3,700,” Bell said. “We need the tax base in order to be able to provide the services that the community needs and deserves. So that's the challenge that we're fighting.”

Addressing blight will be one piece of that.

Building new homes, another prong of the extended, long-term plan to erase the structural shortfall in the city’s balance book.

“We are pursuing building 50 homes a year for the next five years. So, 250 Homes is our objective,” Bell related. “The treasury just did a study for us that shows that we could build 175 homes in Muskegon Heights, and still not meet the demand for homes. So, the negative part is that we have so many vacant lots, almost 1,000 vacant lots. But the positive is we're in a position to build today with the product that the community is looking for. We put together a program to make sure that we bridge existing residents to be able to move from being renters into homeowners through this program.”

To get the work moving in the meantime, Bell explained the city would prioritize work supported by cash from grants and outside funding.

“Utilize the water funds that are available, grants… in order to be able to do pipe projects, we can replace our water lines,” Bell said. “That comes with funding that will also address the roads… lines to be replaced that are in the areas that have the greatest need for street repair.”

“It's a start for me,” Tacara related. “Start fixing it. Show us progress.”

Yet, promises and plans are a dime a dozen.

Tacara said she wanted proof the city was really doing something to remedy her daily dilemma.  

The City’s hands largely tied from a funding perspective, Bell suggested concerned locals take action:

“Keeping your roads clean, keeping your gutter pan clean, that clears the drain lines… so that water doesn't sit,” Bell explained. “The more that water sits, it finds its way into the cracks… and then when it freezes and thaws, that's what creates additional issues with roads.”

“The next thing is being part of the whole strategy to clean up the community,” he continued. “Keeping your lawn clean, keeping your block clean is going to raise the property values. That allows us to access the taxes to be able to pay for these types of things.”

A special assessment, Bell said, would also cover the cost.

“A block deciding, hey, we want to do our roads, requesting a special assessment,” he explained. “That way, the houses on that particular block would be assessed the costs of repaving that block.”

Special assessments are, per a definition provided by the Michigan Supreme Court, citizen-led initiatives launched for specific purposes and ‘apportioned according to the benefits received.’

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