Sumpter declares public safety emergency on gravel roads

Sumpter Township Supervisor Timothy Bowman and the Board of Trustees declared a Public Safety Emergency regarding the current hazardous condition of the gravel roads in Sumpter Township.
Moreover, at the Feb. 24 board meeting they issued an immediate plea for action.
Per state law, all public roads in townships fall under the jurisdiction of counties. Wayne County is responsible for the maintenance and management of public roads in Sumpter Township.
Gravel roads within Sumpter Township in their current hazardous condition are unsafe and pose a dire threat to public health and safety, the board said.
Many segments of the gravel roads in Sumpter Township are severely wash-boarded, rutted and potholed, contain standing water due to drainage failures, and significant segments of road are nearly impassable.
The current hazardous condition of the gravel roads poses ongoing inconvenience to township residents in terms of the additional time it takes to get from place to place, as well as the ongoing threat of vehicle damage while driving at any speed, the board said.
Most critically, the current hazardous condition of the gravel roads imposes an alarmingly significant delay in response time for emergency services – police, fire and ambulance. Transport of a patient whose situation deems higher-level care is likewise severely compromised. When a life is at stake, every delayed second counts, they said.
Supervisor Bowman and the Board of Trustees formally invite Wayne County officials to personally drive the gravel roads in Sumpter Township for a day to experience firsthand what township residents tolerate on a daily basis.
Supervisor Bowman and the Board of Trustees urge Wayne County to take action as soon as possible to correct this ever-worsening situation:
• Conduct an emergency assessment to determine the most affected gravel roads;
• Schedule immediate grading and repair wherever necessary;
• Prepare a gravel road maintenance schedule with timelines and dates; and
• Prepare a multi-year plan for durable improvements.
Wayne County must act soon. Sumpter Township will not accept continued delay, the board’s statement concluded.