Macomb County is pouring millions of dollars into roads, bridges and traffic improvements, but for people who live and work along those construction zones, the progress can come with plenty of frustration.

County Executive Mark Hackel highlighted both the scope of the problem and the progress being made during the countys State of the Roads address Wednesday.

Watch Evan Sery's report in the video player below: Macomb County highlights road improvements as residents, businesses navigate construction

Hackel said 48% of the countys roads need repairs and estimated there is currently a $2.5 billion need for road projects and other road-related problems.

In 2026, Macomb County is investing $119 million in road, bridge and traffic improvements, including work on 270 lane miles of primary and local roads.

For Macomb Township resident Bob Roxy, the seemingly constant construction has become inspiration for a Halloween display.

Roxy lives just off Romeo Plank Road and decorated his property with skeletons dressed as road construction workers, surrounded by the familiar sights of construction zones.

Cones, cones, signs, flag guys everywhere, always working on something, thats for sure, Roxy said.

He said road construction can make getting around the area difficult.

It takes me forever to get some place, Roxy said.

But his tongue-in-cheek display has also generated plenty of attention.

Everybody loves it, Roxy said. Even have road crews come out to take pictures.

Elsewhere in the county, residents are seeing road projects take shape firsthand.

On Little Mack Avenue in Clinton Township, county road crews are in the middle of a reconstruction project that began in August.

Joseph Tillman, who lives along the road, said he welcomes the improvements after years of driving over a rough roadway.

Coming down a bumpy street for 16 years is not fun, Tillman said. Its nice to get something new and fresh.

In Chesterfield Township, another project is just getting underway. Work began Monday on Jefferson Avenue, where crews are repairing a bridge between 21 Mile and Cotton roads.

Atria Beauty Collective owner Stephani Wutka said the business sits near the construction and she initially had concerns about what the project could mean for customers.

We were a little worried about how it would impact our business just with the traffic and some of the other roads in the area being closed, Wutka said.

The disruption illustrates the balancing act surrounding Macomb Countys road improvements: Drivers and businesses have to navigate construction now as officials work toward improving the condition of the road network in the years ahead.

Hackel said nearly 62% of county roads are expected to be in good or fair pavement condition by 2030, a six-percentage-point increase from 2025.

The question weve always had was, how do we get sustainable funding? Hackel said. So were moving in a direction, starting to see the roads are starting to get to good or stable condition as opposed to the reverse happening.

The work is expected to continue next year. Macomb County plans to spend nearly another $100 million on similar improvements in 2027.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin returned to his former elementary school Friday, helping create a new space that will provide food, clothing and other necessities to students in need.

Conklin visited Higgins Elementary School in Chesterfield Township for the first time in more than two decades. Through the Tyler Conklin Foundation, he presented the school with $6,000 to support a new dedicated space called the Hawk Hut.

WATCH: Lions Tyler Conklin gives back to elementary school he attended in Chesterfield

Detroit Lions Tyler Conklin returns to Chesterfield elementary school, helps build student resource space

Its kind of always been a goal of mine to get to where Im at and then come back to the community I grew up in, Conklin said. Something Ive wanted to do since I was a little kid.

Conklin attended Higgins Elementary from 2000 to 2005 and grew up nearby.

I grew up right down the street, he said. I remember book fairs being right here. It's a surreal feeling being back.

Conklin signed with the Detroit Lions in March, giving the NFL veteran an opportunity to play for his hometown team. His return to Higgins gave him another opportunity to reconnect with the community where he grew up.

Hawk Hut will provide food and clothing

Higgins Elementary School Support Specialist Andrea Growth said 41% of students at the school rely on the free or reduced-price lunch program.

Growth said the Hawk Hut will help fill some of the gaps those students and their families face, including providing snacks to children who may come to school without them.

So the hut will give these kiddos some food, Growth said. A lot come to school without breakfast or lunch, so we cover that, but then dont have their snacks, so it will cover snacks.

Fifth grader Patrick Malfait is already looking forward to having the resource available.

If I forget a snack, I can just go down there and get a snack since Im a hungry dude, Malfait said.

The Hawk Hut will also provide seasonal clothing, including winter boots, sweatshirts and jackets.

Conklin said his foundation worked with Higgins staff to identify where additional resources could make the greatest difference.

The staff, we kinda just asked what holes or gaps can we help fill, where can we help, Conklin said. They came back and had the vision for the Hawk Hut.

The dedicated space is scheduled to open next month and will be replenished with help from the Tyler Conklin Foundation throughout the year.

A former Higgins Hawk comes home

For Malfait, Fridays visit was about more than the resources Conklin helped provide. It was also an opportunity to meet a professional athlete who once walked the same elementary school hallways.

He took some time from his job to come visit us, Malfait said. Pretty crazy someone who is a star now and wasnt back then came back to his hometown.

The homecoming was also meaningful for some of Conklins former teachers.

Susan Buffa, who taught Conklin Spanish at Higgins, said she was proud to see her former student return to support the community.

What I love is how Tyler has come back to his community, Buffa said.

He was a CMU Chip, a North Crusader, but before that was a Higgins Hawk, she added. And its nice to see him come back and give back to the community like that. It really is.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. Chippewa Valley Schools is asking voters to approve its first bond proposal in eight years, a $288 million plan that would fund improvements to aging schools, security and career and technical education facilities.

The proposal, which will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, is the largest bond proposal in the district's history.

7 News Detroit reporter Evan Sery has more on the proposal in the video below:

Chippewa Valley Schools asks voters to approve $288 million bond proposal

District officials say the proposal would not increase the current millage rate. However, some parents are raising concerns about the district taking on additional long-term debt.

One area that could see improvements is the automotive technology program at Chippewa Valley High School. Students currently receive hands-on training inside an auto shop that was built in 1978.

Superintendent Dr. Adam Blanchard said the district wants its career and technical education facilities to better prepare students for the workforce.

"We want to make sure that our students not only have the spaces that reflect the real-world environment, but also have the tools necessary to compete in those high-demand skill areas," Blanchard said.

According to the district, more than $100 million of the proposed bond would go toward facility infrastructure and improvements.

Nearly $23 million would be allocated to safety and security improvements, including the creation of a central command center.

Blanchard said the command center would "allow a coordinated effort in the event of an emergency."

The plan also calls for more than $90 million to modernize four elementary schools.

Parents weigh benefits against long-term debt

Some parents said the proposed investments in schools are worth the cost.

"You have to invest in the children," said Christina Naden, who supports the proposal. "They're literally the ones guiding the future for everybody."

Shianne Dutt, another supporter, said infrastructure improvements are particularly important to her.

"The infrastructure is huge to me," Dutt said. "I know these schools are fairly new, but when you walk through them, there's a lot of things that need upgraded (sic)."

Other voters are concerned about the proposal's long-term financial impact.

Kari Sparks, whose three children have graduated from Chippewa Valley Schools, opposes the proposal. Sparks said she is concerned about future generations being responsible for paying off the debt.

"I worry about the extra money that's going to be pushed down to our children and our children's children," Sparks said.

According to information provided in the broadcast report, the district already has more than $300 million in outstanding bond debt.

Sparks said she would rather see the district focus on academics than some of the proposed infrastructure improvements.

"I do not believe that we need aesthetic things for our kids," Sparks said. "We need things to help them learn."

District says millage rate would not increase

Blanchard acknowledged the concerns surrounding the size of the $288 million proposal but said it would not increase the district's current millage rate.

"We know our community supports our school district, and we know strong schools equal a strong community," Blanchard said. "This is a no-millage-rate increase. It does extend the debt out 25 years, but the millage does go down after 14 years."

For supporters such as Naden, the potential improvements outweigh concerns about extending the district's debt.

"We're paying taxes either way," Naden said. "As long as I'm not paying more and it's still going to benefit the students, what's the harm?"

Voters will decide the bond proposal on Nov. 3.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Sterling Heights police are taking emergency response to the sky with a new drone as a first responder program that officials say is already helping officers respond to critical incidents across the city.

The program operates from three launch points in Sterling Heights, allowing police to dispatch drones to emergency calls and provide real-time information to first responders before they arrive.

Police say that since the program launched last month, drones have responded to approximately 150 missions, including last week's homicide on 15 Mile Road. In that case, police said a drone arrived at the scene in approximately one minute.

"Our drones have assisted in locating two suspects who fled on foot, and during our most recent homicide investigation, a drone arrived on scene in approximately one minute and provided our personnel with real-time direction and perspective during that critical incident," Sterling Heights Police Chief Andy Satterfield said.

City and police officials gathered Wednesday at Fire Station 4 for the official unveiling of the program.

The program will cost nearly $150,000 in its first year and is being funded through federal forfeiture funds.

Police officials say the technology can give first responders another perspective during emergencies, including in areas that may be difficult or dangerous for officers to immediately access.

"A drone can provide a safer view of difficult terrain, including areas along the Clinton River, assist with missing persons searches," Satterfield said.

When a drone is launched, a drone team coordinator controls its movement and can provide officers and firefighters with real-time information from the scene.

Sterling Heights resident J.R. Jenkins said he sees potential benefits when police are searching for someone who has fled.

"Say it's a criminal running away or something. If the drone gets there first, it will have footage on where that person may have run, as opposed to officers arriving late," Jenkins said.

Police say scenarios like that have already happened, with drones assisting officers in locating two suspects who fled on foot.

While the technology brings cameras into the sky, Sterling Heights police stressed that the program is intended for emergency response and public safety rather than surveillance.

Resident Alexis Paterni said that distinction made her more comfortable with the program.

"I was hesitant at first, but then you said it's nothing like Flock," Paterni said. "And that makes me feel a little more comfortable with it."

Neighboring Warren launched a similar drone program in March. A Warren police spokesperson told 7 News Detroit its drones have taken flight more than 5,000 times and have been critical to an incident response 22% of the time.

Paterni said she believes emergency response is one of the better applications of increasingly common drone technology.

"With Amazon doing it for delivery and now this, this I think is a better use for it than anything else personally," Paterni said. "I don't need two-hour delivery. I need two-hour help me find my missing friend or something like that."

For Sterling Heights police, officials say the goal is to use the technology to get information into the hands of responding officers faster and give them another perspective during emergencies.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.