Fenton Road Near Grand Blanc May Shrink From Four Lanes to Three. The 2027 Plan Is Estimated at $2.9 Million.

By Carrie Thompson, Strategic Marketing Real Estate Agent, eXp Realty, Grand Blanc, MI

The Genesee County Road Commission plans to convert Fenton Road between Hill Road and Grand Blanc Road from four lanes to three, with a center turn lane and paved shoulders, in a project estimated at about $2.9 million. The work is in design, and construction is proposed to begin in spring 2027 (Genesee County Road Commission, March 16, 2026). The stretch forms the boundary between Mundy Township and Grand Blanc Township (ABC12, April 30, 2026).

The plan keeps the road's footprint and adds a center turn lane

The road commission says this section was widened to four lanes in the 1960s and traffic has declined since. Under the plan, the road becomes three lanes with a center turn lane and paved shoulders for disabled vehicles, non-motorized traffic, mail trucks and garbage trucks. The intersections at Hill Road and Grand Blanc Road will remain five lanes (Genesee County Road Commission project page, accessed October 1, 2026).

Construction Department Manager Gerrad Godley said the footprint would stay the same, with 6-foot paved shoulders and no changes to curbs or gutters, and that the work would create a uniform driving surface and better drainage by re-establishing the crown of the road (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

The road commission's project page says the road received a PASER pavement rating of 3 in 2021, on a scale where 9 is best, and that it was last improved in 2011 (Genesee County Road Commission project page, accessed October 1, 2026). The road is also known as Old US 23. Engineering Director Alex Patsy said it was hard surfaced in the "19-teens," and the Genesee County View reported it was widened to four lanes in the 1960s and got a "10-year fix" in the late 1990s (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

A full rebuild would cost about $10 million, according to the road commission

"I could reconstruct the road," Design Department Manager Todd Bigler said. "It would take $10 million" (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026). Godley said that is money the county does not have (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

Patsy said the cost of a full-width rehab comes from the road's construction: the middle lanes are asphalt and the outer lanes are concrete, which is much more expensive to rehabilitate (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

The road commission release says the $2.9 million project would be paid for "primarily with federal funds and funds from the Genesee County Road Commission" (Genesee County Road Commission, March 16, 2026). The Genesee County View reported the split as 20 percent from the road commission and 80 percent from federal funds, noting that federal money comes with federal rules about the scope of the work (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

The road commission says the change targets specific crash types

The road commission says a dedicated center turn lane will "reduce certain types of crashes by removing stopped vehicles from the through lane," and that the design aims to cut rear end, sideswipe, head-on and lane departure crashes while improving visibility for drivers turning out of side streets and driveways (Genesee County Road Commission project page, accessed October 1, 2026). It points to Flushing Road between Elms Road and Ballenger Highway, which was converted between 2015 and 2022, and which it says "has received very little negative feedback since implementation" (Genesee County Road Commission project page, accessed October 1, 2026).

Godley acknowledged that drivers using center turn lanes as passing lanes is a problem across the county. "That's a matter of enforcement," he said, noting that the Grand Blanc Township Police Department and Metro Police Authority both patrol the stretch. He also said the change can be undone: "If need be, if we see more accidents, we can restripe back to four lanes" (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

Residents pushed back at two public meetings and online

The road commission's release set an informal open house for Thursday, April 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Grand Blanc Township office at 5371 S. Saginaw St. (Genesee County Road Commission, March 16, 2026). Residents attended two public hearings with road commission staff that week, in Grand Blanc and Mundy townships, and the paper reported the plan drew criticism from area residents (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

Residents told the Genesee County View it is already hard to turn onto and off Fenton Road at the Ottawa Hills subdivision, the Thornridge apartments, Reid Road, and the churches and businesses along the stretch, and they raised concerns about school buses and delivery trucks that stop often. The speed limit is 45 mph (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

An online petition opposing the plan had 235 signatures by Thursday, April 30, with organizers aiming for 500. ABC12 reported that residents say they are concerned the plan will lead to "severe traffic congestion with no way to pass slower moving vehicles" and pose significant risks to emergency services that rely on unobstructed roads (ABC12, April 30, 2026).

The two news reports give different traffic counts. ABC12 reported about 11,000 vehicles a day (ABC12, April 30, 2026). The Genesee County View reported some 13,500 daily motorists (Genesee County View, April 16, 2026).

On April 29, the road commission launched a project web page with goals, expected benefits, common questions and a way to submit feedback. "Public engagement and transparency remain a top priority throughout the planning and construction process," the release said (Genesee County Road Commission, April 29, 2026).

What this means if you own or are buying along Fenton Road

If you live on or just off Fenton Road between Hill and Grand Blanc roads, this is still a project in design, and the road commission's project page is where updates will land. Buyers looking at homes with a driveway or subdivision entrance on this stretch should drive it at rush hour now and keep in mind that the lane setup is scheduled to change. Sellers can point buyers to the project page so they see the official plan, not a rumor.

Every listing I take gets professional photos and video, room sizes, targeted digital ads, and targeted buyer avatars. Call or text Carrie Thompson at (810) 893-3269.

About Carrie Thompson

Carrie Thompson, "Your Favorite Property Girl," is a Strategic Marketing Real Estate Agent (REALTOR®) with eXp Realty serving Grand Blanc, Genesee County and nearby Michigan communities, including Grand Blanc Township, Mundy Township, Burton, Fenton, and Swartz Creek. Michigan license 6501338662. Call or text (810) 893-3269.