The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) will present its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget at a public hearing Thursday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m. at the RCOC administrative offices, 31001 Lahser Road in Beverly Hills (at the corner of 13 Mile Road).
The public is invited to attend the hearing and offer input on the proposed budget. RCOC’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The budget is expected to be adopted at the regular RCOC Board meeting on Sept. 25.
The proposed budget, at $193.4 million, represents about a $15.7 million increase from the current year’s budget of $177.7 million, adopted in September of last year. The 2026 proposed budget increase is primarily due to increases in federal road funds, state road funding and local government contributions.
The proposed budget is available to review on the RCOC website, www.rcocweb.org (click on the “Financials” button on the home page, select the “RCOC Budget Summary” item and click on “2025-26 Budget as Presented”).
The federal funding level and the amount of contributions from local communities fluctuates from year to year depending on the type and number of road projects conducted.
RCOC anticipates an increase in its largest source of revenue — state road funds generated by the state fuel taxes, vehicle-registration fees and income tax — for the coming year. The agency expects to receive about $132 million in state road funding in fiscal year 2026, up from the $122.3 million budgeted in 2025 and that has remained stagnant since 2022.
The state dollars are RCOC’s main funding source for operations.
RCOC anticipates receiving $28.3 million in federal funding in FY 2026 (compared to $28.2 million for the current year), $800,000 in interest revenue (no change from the current year) and $11.6 million in local government contributions (compared to $10.1 million for the current year).
The remaining revenue making up the budget comes from RCOC’s contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to maintain state highways in the county ($14 million, up slightly from the current year) and fees and other revenues ($2.8 million, about the same as received for the current year).
The proposed 2026 budget includes nearly $62 million in annual contributions toward safety-focused road-improvement projects planned to be under construction in 2026 and future years (this is not the total cost for these projects -- some costs were included in the current year’s budget or will be included in the 2027 budget where projects were expected to be carried over from 2025 into 2026 or will be carried over from 2026 into 2027); $38.1 million for road maintenance efforts such as pothole patching, gravel road grading and salting and plowing in the winter; and $18.1 million for maintaining traffic signs, signals, pavement markings and guardrails among other activities.
The remainder of the budget is dedicated to operating expenses, including customer services, vehicle maintenance, staff wages, buildings and grounds and administration.
“The 2026 budget is more than just numbers -- it’s a step toward better, safer roads,” noted RCOC Board Chair Eric McPherson. “We're not just maintaining what we have; we are building a future-ready road network that supports Oakland County’s growth and prosperity,” McPherson added.
RCOC Vice Chair James Esshaki concurred. “The proposed budget reflects a continued focus on fiscal accountability and transparency while supporting road and safety needs across the county.”
Managing Director Dennis Kolar agreed. “Everything we do starts with safety,” he noted. “And this budget puts that commitment front and center.”
During the public hearing, RCOC Deputy Managing Director/County Highway Engineer Gary Piotrowicz will provide an overview of the proposed 2026 Road Improvement Program (RIP), which includes next year’s road-construction projects. Among the planned projects are:
- Construct a roundabout at the intersection of Wixom, Duck Lake and Sleeth roads on the Milford Twp./Commerce Twp. border
- Major resurfacing of 12 Mile Road, Novi Road to Farmington Road in Novi and Farmington Hills
- Major resurfacing of Greenfield Road, Lincoln Road to 12 Mile Road in Southfield, Berkley and Oak Park
Attached is a complete list of expected 2026 projects. Projects are typically chosen through a rigorous process that includes safety reviews, data from a detailed road-condition assessment program and engineering analysis. Because many funding resources are tied to specific timelines, project selections often happen years in advance.
“We understand the frustration that comes with roadwork,” Managing Director Kolar said. “But every cone, every detour, is part of the bigger picture: a safer, stronger road system for everyone in Oakland County.”
.Editor’s Note: The list of anticipated projects to be constructed in 2026 and a summary of proposed revenues and expenses are attached.
PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET
October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026
REVENUES
Source
- State fuel tax, vehicle-registration fees and state General Fund $132,000,000
- State highway-maintenance contract $ 14,346,813
- Michigan Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) $ 0
- Federal funding-Road Improvement Program (RIP) $ 28,348,250
- Federal funding-signal projects $ 560,000
- Federal funding-Traffic Operations Center operations $ 2,400,000
- Federal funding-Medicare Part D $ 200,000
- Contributions from local governments $ 11,680,000
- Fees and other revenues $ 3,840,000
- Appropriation from fund balance $ 0
Total Revenues $193,375,063
EXPENSES
Source
- Road Improvement Program (RIP – includes contractor payments, right of way acquisition costs and consultant payments) $ 62,231,000
- Operating expenditures $127,944,063
- Traffic-signal projects $ 700,000
- Special Assessment District projects (contractor payments) $ 2,500,000
Total expenses $193,375,063
2026 RCOC Road Improvement Program (RIP)
This list includes projects expected to be constructed in 2026.
Repair, Rehabilitate & Resurface (repair road base and add 3 to 4 inches of new asphalt)
- 12 Mile Road, Orchard Lake to Autumn Ridge in Farmington Hills $ 3.8 million
- 12 Mile Road, Novi to Farmington in Novi and Farmington Hills $ 8.5 million
- Greenfield Road, Lincoln to 12 Mile in Southfield, Berkley and Oak Park $ 4 million
- Novi Road, 8 Mile to 9 Mile (two-year project started in 2025) in Novi and Northville $ 4.35 million
- Pontiac Trail, 9 Mile to the CSX railroad tracks in South Lyon and Lyon Twp. $ 11.6 million
Intersection Improvement
- Wixom/Duck Lake/Sleeth intersection (construct roundabout) in Milford and Commerce townships
$ 2.7 million
Pave Gravel
- Pontiac Lake Road, Margie to Kingston in White Lake Twp. $3.5 million
Bridge Replacements
- Deerhill Street over Deer Lake Creek in Independence Twp. $ 1.8 million
- Edgeorge Street over the Clinton River in Waterford Twp.
- Emburke Street over the Clinton River in Waterford Twp.
- (Emburke-removing existing bridge and replacing with pedestrian bridge)
- Edgeorge and Emburke both bid as one project $.3.3 million
Bridge Rehabilitations
- 14 Mile Road over the Rouge River in Franklin and Bloomfield Twp.
- Franklin Road over the Rouge River in Franklin and Bloomfield Twp.
- Inkster Road over the Rouge River in Bloomfield Twp. and West Bloomfield Twp. $ 3.2 million
(all three bid as one project)
Culverts
- 10 Mile Road over the Rouge River in Farmington Hills $ 1.5 million
- Avonlea Street over the Huron River in White Lake Twp. $ 2.2 million
- Heatherwood Street over the Huron River in Commerce Twp. $ 1.1 million
- Walnut Lake Road over the Rouge River in West Bloomfield Twp. $ 1.3 million
Total annual construction costs for projects to be constructed in 2026: $52,850,000
PDF link for the proposed 2026 Road Improvement list: https://www.rcocweb.org/DocumentCenter/View/13470/2026-RIP-List
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