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NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP -- The outlook isn't good. 

That was the consensus Wednesday afternoon as representatives from the Marquette County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation convened in Negaunee Township Hall to discuss the future of roads in Marquette County and Michigan. 

Marquette County is already spending more than it's receiving from the state for routine road maintenance.  County leaders say if this trend continues, they will run out of funds after next year.

“Under current funding, we are using about one million dollars worth of fund balance to provide the same level of services as we did last year," said Jim Iwanicki, Engineer Manager, Marquette County Road Commission.

Since 2001, the Marquette County Road Commission has cut over half their staff.  They are down from 106 workers in 2001 to 49 workers this year.  That reality forces the commission to prioritize.    

"We have been trying to maintain the winter level of service because we feel that's the most important for our citizens, and that's what our citizens have been telling us," Iwanicki said.

Projects that have been put on hold are those that do not deal directly with motorists' safety, such as street sweeping, patching potholes, and responding quickly to customer complaints.  But as the costs of road maintenance rise every year, the state is not meeting the demand with a bigger budget.

"It's becoming more difficult to find things that aren't safety-related that we may be able to cut back on," said Andy Sikkema, Transportation Engineer, Michigan Department of Transportation. 

Some of the solutions that were proposed at the meeting were writing state legislators with concerns, raising the gas tax, and raising license plate fees.  One attendee even proposed toll booths.  No resolution has been met.