April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

Former Oakland County Road Commissioner Ron Fowkes (pictured) was honored by the County Road Association (CRA) of Michigan with a Distinguished Service Award at the 2023 CRA Highway Conference held March 22 in Lansing.

Distinguished Service Awards recognize road agency staff and commissioners who have dedicated their time and service in an outstanding manner to the advancement of the county road and bridge system in Michigan.

During his time at the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC), Fowkes was an outspoken advocate for road safety, road commission employees, sound financial management of the agency and increased road funding. CRA recognized his hard work and dedication to the county transportation network.

“Road commissioners play an important role in countywide transportation,” said Denise Donohue, CRA CEO. "Commissioners like Ron make the roads safer and more efficient for all drivers.”

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 percent of all roads in the state, including 90,000 miles of roads and 5,700 bridges.

County road agencies also maintain the state’s highway system in 63 counties. Michigan has the nation’s fourth-largest local road system.