UPDATE: Ionia County Commissioners have just approved critical revisions to road budget policies, aimed at accelerating funding for primary and local road and bridge construction. The vote took place on Tuesday, with Managing Director Linda Pigue advocating for changes that simplify budgeting and address urgent infrastructure needs.
The newly revised policies will significantly alter funding responsibilities. Specifically, Policy 03 now mandates that all upgrades to primary roads and bridges will be fully funded by the Road Department, relieving local townships of financial burdens. Conversely, Policy 04 requires local townships to cover all improvements and maintenance for local roads and bridges, a move that has sparked debate among commissioners.
“This applies to all bridge preservation, rehabilitation, and replacement projects, including those constructed with state and federal funds,” stated Pigue, emphasizing the urgency of these updates in light of rising costs. To replace all 33 primary road bridges would cost an estimated $3,722,920, while replacing 34 local road bridges is projected at $14,731,250.
Pigue further proposed a resolution that would “grandfather in” local bridge funding applications submitted before January 1, 2026, ensuring that communities can still access necessary funds without immediate financial strain.
Despite the urgency, not all commissioners were on board. Jack Shattuck and Larry Tiejema opposed the policy changes, arguing that the previous policies were sufficient for most cases. “The policy we had in place worked fine for a lot of years,” Shattuck noted, expressing concerns that the new funding model could leave financially struggling townships at a disadvantage.
Pigue countered, “If we have a policy that we have to keep coming back and saying, ‘We need a variance from it,’ maybe it’s time to acknowledge that policy doesn’t work anymore.” The rising costs of bridge repairs are becoming increasingly untenable for many local governments.
This policy update reflects a growing urgency for infrastructure reform, especially as Pigue highlighted the challenges local townships face in securing necessary funds. “We have other townships that are going to be in a very similar situation,” she remarked, underscoring the financial strain that many municipalities experience.
In addition to the road policy revisions, the Ionia County Board of Commissioners addressed several other matters during the meeting, including the scheduling of their annual organizational meeting for January 13, 2026, and the approval of various contracts related to road maintenance.
As Ionia County navigates these significant changes, the community watches closely to see how these revised policies will impact local infrastructure funding and the overall economy. The urgency of these updates cannot be overstated, as many townships prepare to face the realities of rising costs in road and bridge maintenance.
Stay tuned for further developments on this pressing issue as Ionia County works to improve its roadways and bridges amidst ongoing financial challenges.
