Lance Malburg, county highway engineer of the Dickinson County Road Commission, accepts the IMPRESS Award for Collaboration on behalf of DCRC.

LANSING — The County Road Association of Michigan honored the Dickinson County Road Commission with a statewide IMPRESS Award at CRA’s 2020 Highway Conference held in early March.

The honor was for the commission’s use of innovative road surface using repurposed rubber.

IMPRESS Awards recognize county road agencies that demonstrate innovation with special projects in communications, operations and collaboration. DCRC received an IMPRESS Award in Collaboration for its “County Road 607 ECR Project.”

DCRC partnered with Michigan Technological University, Michigan Department of Energy Great Lakes and the Environment, the Dickinson County Bike Path Committee and Bacco Construction Co. of Iron Mountain to complete a paving project on County Road 607. The project showed the benefits of using engineered crumb rubber to improve qualities in hot mix asphalt pavement.

“The Dickinson County Road Commission has shown how we can all work together to make a big impact on our county roads,” said Denise Donohue, CRA director. “By innovating and pioneering new technologies in colder climates, DCRC has shown its commitment to improving our county road network.”

An independent panel of communications and operations experts from several of Michigan’s 83 county road agencies judged the projects. Award recipients were honored for projects that solved time restraints, labor costs, communication barriers and fostered collaboration.

Former Menominee County Road Commission managing director Darrell Moilanen received a Distinguished Service Award at the conference. Distinguished Service Awards recognize road agency staff and commissioners who have dedicated their time and service above and beyond their peers to advance the county road and bridge system in Michigan.

Moilanen joined Menominee County 27 years ago, retiring in February. He served as a member and vice chair of CRA’s Engineering Committee; member of the CRA Negotiating Committee; vice chair of the Canvassing Committee; former secretary and president of the Great Lakes Council of road commissions; as member of the Upper Peninsula Road Builders Scholarship Committee; and a member of the Roads+TM advocacy group.

“Throughout his nearly 30 years at MCRC, Darrell has advocated for county road agencies with thoughtfulness and dedication,” said Donohue. “He has gone above and beyond, and CRA greatly values his contributions in advancing the local road network.”

The 83 members of the County Road Association of Michigan represent the unified voice for a safe and efficient county transportation infrastructure system in Michigan, including appropriate stewardship of the public’s right-of-way in rural and urban Michigan.

Collectively, Michigan’s county road agencies manage 75 percent of all roads in the state, including 90,000 miles of roads and 5,700 bridges.

County road agencies also maintain the state’s highway system in 64 counties. Michigan has the nation’s fourth-largest local road system.