The Oceana County Road Commission (OCRC) was honored with two statewide IMPRESS Awards at the 2026 County Road Association (CRA) of Michigan Highway Conference held in late March in Lansing. IMPRESS Awards recognize county road agencies that demonstrate innovation on noteworthy projects in the categories of communications, operations and collaboration.
This year, Oceana County received IMPRESS Awards in:
• COMMUNICATION for its “CDL Truck Driver Training Program.” The initiative invests in employee development by funding commercial driver’s license training in exchange for a three-year service commitment, helping address workforce shortages while strengthening internal communication, retention and team coordination.
• OPERATIONS for its innovative “Paving through Swamp and Celery Flats” rehabilitation project. OCRC rehabilitated three deteriorated primary roads – York Road, 128th Avenue and Pierce Road – by placing gravel over existing asphalt before crushing and repaving, creating a stable, long-lasting base through swamp conditions and a former celery field.
“Oceana County’s award-winning projects demonstrate both innovation in the field and a strong commitment to building a skilled workforce,” CRA CEO Denise Donohue said. “From developing employees to tackling challenging road conditions with practical solutions, these efforts reflect the kind of forward-thinking approach that helps agencies deliver results for their communities.”
An independent panel of communications and operations experts from several of Michigan’s 83 county road agencies judged all IMPRESS Awards submissions. Award recipients were honored for projects that solved time constraints, labor costs, communication barriers and fostered collaboration.
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% of all roads in the state, including 90,500 miles of roads and 5,900 bridges. County road agencies also maintain the state’s highway system in 63 counties. Michigan has the nation’s fourth-largest local road system.
