As construction season kicks into high gear, motorists might notice more work than usual taking place on roads in Bertrand Township.

Earlier this year, the township’s board of trustees approved spending approximately $172,000 to fix and maintain several miles of roads in the township, according to Supervisor Steve Hicks.

While that number is about the same as what the township spent on roads in 2015, Hicks said the township spent far fewer dollars on streets in previous years — around $80,000.

“A year ago we doubled what we were spending,” he said. “Roads are a priority and hopefully we will get to a point where we are catching up. I think people will start noticing a difference.”

Road projects planned for Bertrand Township in 2016 are:

• Olive Branch from Dayton to the township line (grind, gravel, prime and double seal)

• Orange Road from Bertrand to Chicago (grind, gravel, prime and double seal)

• Weaver Road on the paved portion north and south of U.S. Highway 12 (grind, gravel, prime and double seal)

• Mayflower Road from U.S. Highway 31 to the state line (grind, gravel, prime and double seal)

• Spirea Road from the state line north to where it becomes gravel (grind)

• West River Road from U.S. 12 to Briar (sealcoat)

• Dayton from Galien-Buchanan to Burrus (grind, gravel, prime and double seal)

• Bertrand Road from U.S. Highway 31 to the St. Joseph River near Copp Road. (sealcoat)

Hicks said the township chose road projects based on resident feedback, personal assessments and a roadwork plan created by the Berrien County Road Commission, which is the entity responsible for maintaining the safety of roads in the county.

The road commission is contributing approximately $185,000 toward road projects in the township this year.

Hicks also said the Bertrand Road project (approximately $77,000) would be paid for with federal funding, bringing the total amount of money spent on road improvements to approximately $434,000. More than 10 miles of roads are included in the projects.