M-35 safety concerns persist
Near driveways off of M-35, signs distributed by Ford River Township asks drivers to use caution. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A vehicle with Minnesota license plates is pulled over by the Michigan State Police on a stretch of M-35 that Ford River Township residents have been saying is unsafe. A sign asking drivers to slow down, distributed by the township, is seen in the shot. (Photo courtesy of Mark Coyne)
A number of yellow signs are seen on M-35 in Ford River Township informing passing vehicles that the area is residential. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A semi truck passes an area of Ford River Township where a "SLOW DOWN" sign is posted in someone's front yard. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Near driveways off of M-35, signs distributed by Ford River Township asks drivers to use caution. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A vehicle with Minnesota license plates is pulled over by the Michigan State Police on a stretch of M-35 that Ford River Township residents have been saying is unsafe. A sign asking drivers to slow down, distributed by the township, is seen in the shot. (Photo courtesy of Mark Coyne)
A number of yellow signs are seen on M-35 in Ford River Township informing passing vehicles that the area is residential. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A semi truck passes an area of Ford River Township where a "SLOW DOWN" sign is posted in someone's front yard. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
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FORD RIVER TOWNSHIP -- A recent collision proved that the dangers on the highway south of Escanaba are real. Residents in Ford River Township have been trying to ask for change and are taking what little steps they can.
In May, representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) virtually attended a Ford River Township board meeting. The many residents who attended in person were frustrated by the lack of immediate action when their safety concerns were expressed.
Between Portage Point Lane and the Ford River Pub on M-35 are dozens of homes. People who live in that area, with addresses on the curving highway, report fearing for lives because of the speed and recklessness at which drivers seem to take the route.
“I’ll wait and get my mail on the weekend, because I’m afraid just to turn my back to get my mail. The velocity of their speed is so intense that it practically blows me over,” said resident Jill Bernard during the May meeting. “It blows our full garbage cans over.”
There isn’t funding to change the highway anytime soon, MDOT said. Data did not show that danger was imminent — though residents bristled when that comment was made.
“When I damn near get killed on the highway, I don’t call the police and say I almost got killed, because there’s nothing you can do. But do we need to start calling in and voicing these statistics so that we can be taken seriously?” one woman said. “Years back, getting my sons on the bus, I had a semi blow pass and shot a tire off the semi, and it just missed my kids. Did I call it in? No. …A lot of things happen, and we don’t say anything, because there’s no evidence that it happened, other than our say. I mean, I’ll go to court and testify on my son’s life that it happened if that’s what we have to do. Maybe we should start opening our mouths more.”
Not knowing what other courses of action to take, residents decided that’s just what they would do. The townsfolk of Ford River now have a running list of incidents. And they aren’t all just near misses.
On June 20, a head-on collision showed that residents’ concerns are not unfounded.
Shortly before 11 p.m. that night, a white Kia was passing vehicles on M-35 when it struck a Ford Taurus heading in the opposite direction, an incident report states.
“Occupants from the Kia (were) transported to the hospital by ambulance with injuries,” relayed Ford River Township Clerk Debbi Brown, consulting the record. “Occupants from the Ford Taurus had minor injuries, and family members picked (them) up and transported to OSF.”
The incident happened in front of E4980 Highway M-35. Mailboxes were taken out by one of the vehicles, according to the unofficial record of incidents the local residents now keep.
Just days before, MDOT conducted a field review on June 16, relayed Delta County Commissioner Christine Williams, who represents the interests of Ford River Township. MDOT and the Transportation Service Center were to review the results and reach out to Township Supervisor Steve Nelson.
About a week after the June crash, Ford River Township made an announcement: free yard signs were available to residents. Trying to take what action they can, the township used funds from a state grant intended for a safety campaign to order signs that read: “Please SLOW DOWN / Ford River Township RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.”
When getting a sign, people are also given a letter explaining the regulations of where they may be placed, Brown said. As with political campaign signs and others, these signs are not to placed in the public right-of-way.
“We are aware that this will not rectify the situation … but hopefully we’ll draw some attention to the problem areas,” Brown said.
She reported on Friday that most of the 100 signs ordered have been claimed, but some still remain available to township residents, who may collect them from the hall at 3845 K Rd. between 10 a.m. and noon Monday through Thursday.
Township officials have noted that enforcement by Michigan State Police and Delta County Sheriff’s Office has increased in the last year. A local man recently captured a somewhat humorous photograph of an out-of-state vehicle pulled over by a trooper right in front of one of the new “SLOW DOWN” signs.
A team from Lansing reportedly did a traffic volume study during the week of July 4 and will pass the results on to the township when complete.
The next Ford River Township board meeting, scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m., lists “M-35 traffic issues” as an agenda item of unfinished business.