SUMPTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Sumpter Township officials have declared a public safety emergency over what they call the “current hazardous condition” of the community’s gravel roads and are demanding immediate action from Wayne County.
The township’s supervisor, Timothy Bowman, and the Board of Trustees approved an emergency order saying many gravel roads are so washboarded, rutted and potholed that some segments are nearly impassable. They say the conditions are inconveniencing residents, damaging vehicles and delaying first responders.
In some cases, officials say response times are doubling or even tripling.
Residents in southwestern Wayne County have been sending videos to Local 4 for weeks, showing vehicles bouncing through deep ruts. Just last week, Local 4 was in neighboring Huron Township where residents were fed up.
Per state law, public roads in townships fall under county jurisdiction. In Sumpter Township, Wayne County is responsible for maintaining and managing the roads.
In the order, the township laid out specific steps they want the county to take:
- 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.
- Prepare a multi-year plan for durable improvements.
STATEMENT FROM WAYNE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES:
“Wayne County takes road concerns seriously and responds quickly when issues are reported through the proper channels. We continue to communicate regularly with both townships. Since January, our Department of Public Services has serviced gravel roads in Sumpter Township and Huron Township more than two dozen times.
We maintain more than 5,000 lane miles of roadway. However, dirt and gravel roads require different maintenance than paved roads, especially during freeze-thaw conditions. We will continue to monitor conditions and respond as needed. Residents can report concerns at 888-ROAD-CREW, and drivers can help repairs hold by reducing speeds.”
WORK DONE IN SUMPTER TWP IN 2026:
- Jan 9 – Patch/grade Wear (Sumpter–Elwell)
- Jan 12 – Harris (Martinsville–Lohr) and Martinsville (Bemis–Harris)
- Feb 13 – Clark (Willow–Savage)
- Feb 14 – Elwell (Willis–Willow)
- Feb 18 – Elwell (Judd–Willow)
- Feb 19 – Elwell (Willis–Judd)
- Feb 20 – Judd (Bohn–Rawsonville)
- Feb 23 – Willis (Clark–west of Haggerty)
- Feb 24 – Willis (Martinsville–Haggerty)
DPS crews have also worked in Huron Township several times over the last weeks specifically near Huron Rd. and Clark Rd. Dates have included January 13; February 14, 16, 17, 24 and 26.
Sumpter Township officials declined to speak on camera, saying the emergency order “speaks for itself.”
Local 4 also contacted Huron Township multiple times to ask if it plans to declare a similar emergency but did not receive a response.