Would You Support a Road Millage in Hartland?

The results of the community survey Hartland Township officials sent out late last year are in, and roads are at the top of residents' list for improvements.

The survey was sent to 1,550 Hartland households and 758 surveys were sent back.

Of those people, 57 percent said they would support a millage to maintain and repair roads, while 45 percent of respondents said they would support a millage to pave over gravel roads in high traffic areas.

The topic of paving over gravel roads was brought up in a conversation last week on Hartland Patch, in reponse to a story about a man who was hit and killed in a car accident on Fenton Road near Clyde Road.

"Improving Clyde road, maybe paving a portion of the road coming up to Fenton road would help, along with maybe some type of rumble strips to alert the driver," said a commenter named Mary.

Thirty-four percent of survey responders said they would support a millage to improve walkability throughout the towship.

When asked which services residents would be willing to cut, however, if budgets needed to be reduced, nearly 30 percent of respondents said adding bicycle and walking paths could be cut. This was the service most chosen by respondents for cuts, followed closely by sidewalk repairs.

In a conversaion on Hartland Patch in September, several commenters said they would be happy to pay for improved walkability and sidewalk repairs in Hartland, particularly in the village area.

"I support a millage to raise money to repair the streets in Hartland. I do not live in town, but I visit the town center for parades and other activities," wrote a commenter named Diane. "It is a source of pride for me to have sweet little Hartland maintained. Our small towns are quickly disappearing, and it would be a shame to continue to let Hartland decay."

However, others chimed in that people in the village area of Hartland should pay for sidewalk repairs themselves, while still others said it should not be a priority for Hartland as a whole.

"If I wanted to live in a shiny polished suburb and pay much higher taxes, I'd move," said a commenter named Angela. "Leave Hartland alone. It's perfect the way it is."

According to the survey results, 69 percent of respondents said road maintenance is a budget priority. Respondents could choose seven budget priorities, and 69 percent of people also put law enforcement on their list. Sixty-three percent of people chose fire response as a budget priority.

You can read the entire survey report in the PDF attached to this story.