Why Municipalities Must Keep an Accurate Local Road Inventory

April 23, 2025
Listed in Administration

Every year, municipalities are required to submit updates to their local road inventory to the state - and for good reason. While it may feel like a mundane paperwork task, this inventory plays a vital role in everything from road funding to infrastructure planning, at both the state and federal level. Let’s break it down. Why Keep a Road Inventory? At its core, a road inventory is just a detailed record of every public road in a municipality; paved and unpaved, owned and maintained by the…continue

Speed Bumps Don’t Belong on 30 MPH Roads

April 19, 2025
Listed in Highway Safety

It’s not uncommon for concerned residents—especially those with young children—to contact their local highway superintendent with a simple request: “Can we get a speed bump on our street to slow traffic down?” It’s an understandable concern. Everyone wants safer streets, especially in residential neighborhoods where kids might be playing nearby. But when the posted speed limit is already 30 MPH—which is usually the lowest speed permitted by state law out…continue

Stand Your Ground

April 16, 2025
Listed in Administration

Sure, we’re often told to “play nice” with the Town Board, keep things smooth, don’t make waves, go along to get along. After all, they do control the budget, and we get it: without funding, nothing gets done. But here’s the thing - highway superintendents aren’t elected just to keep the peace. We’re elected to take care of the roads, to keep our communities safe, and to make sure our infrastructure is sound and reliable. That means sometimes we have to …continue

Spend It Before You Lose It: Smart Ways Highway Departments Can Use Year-End Budget Funds

April 12, 2025
Listed in Administration

Each year, as your fiscal calendar’s winding down, and you’ve got a little bit of budget left over. While it might be tempting to sit on it or scramble to spend it last minute, there’s a smarter way to handle that year-end balance: use it to stock up on the essentials you know you’ll need next season. Because let’s be real—come spring, you’ll wish you had more cones, more signs, and way more drainage supplies. Here’s a casual guide to putting that …continue

What is an MS4 and Why Should We Care

April 11, 2025
Listed in Stormwater Management

If you’ve ever walked down the street after a good rain and noticed all that water disappearing into a grate on the side of the road, congrats—you’ve seen an MS4 in action. MS4 stands for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, and while it might not sound exciting, it plays a big role in keeping our towns and waterways clean. So What Is an MS4? An MS4 is basically a network of storm drains, pipes, ditches, and outfalls that collect rainwater runoff and move it away from streets…continue