Proposed Utility Upgrades Could Alter Dexter-Chelsea Road’s Scenic Charm

DTE Energy’s plans to update its electrical infrastructure as part of a $14 million regional improvement project have drawn attention and concern from area residents. The project, aimed at reducing outage durations and bolstering reliability, includes re-routing a 40KV transmission line along Dexter-Chelsea Road between North Dancer and Parker roads, part of a scenic stretch cherished for its mature trees and natural beauty.

A “Smarter, Stronger, More Resilient” Grid

The infrastructure upgrade is part of DTE’s broader “Four-Point Plan” to modernize the power grid and involves a 3-4 mile portion of their transmission line that connects a substation in Chelsea to the city of Dexter. The company estimates these upgrades will reduce outages by 30% and cut the average duration in half. 

DTE submitted a detailed project plan to the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) as part of its application for permitting the construction. WCRC administers permits and access for any construction within the public right-of-way (ROW). The plan calls for significantly trimming or removing many of the beloved trees that line the south side of Dexter-Chelsea Road, an area known by some locals as Washtenaw County’s own ‘tunnel of trees’.

What’s Changing

As of now, DTE’s line runs well south of the road, located in a utility easement that traverses the back portion of several privately owned parcels along the south side of Dexter-Chelsea Road. The proposed project calls for this portion of the line to be relocated right up along the road, within the public ROW. 

To make room for the new equipment and provide enough clearance from vegetation, many of the trees will be significantly altered or removed.

While most recognize the importance of modernizing the electrical grid, some lifelong residents question whether the project prioritizes the community’s best interests—or DTE’s bottom line. 

“There’s no denying the need for reliable power,” said one long-time area resident asking to remain anonymous. “But why does that mean we have to sacrifice one of the most beautiful roads in the area? It feels like there hasn’t been enough discussion about alternatives.”

No Decision Yet

Though some property owners received notification from DTE in November stating that work would begin in February, WCRC officials made clear during a phone call in late December there has been no decision about whether or not to approve the permit. The application was received on December 23rd, 2024, and generally takes about 30 calendar days for a determination. 

When asked if there was a plan to communicate with or gather input from the community before making a decision, officials said no. They clarified that WCRC’s role is to ensure compliance with permit regulations and decisions are based on whether or not applications are complete and meet all the stated requirements.

WCRC Director of Engineering and County Highway Engineer Brent Schlack said, “We’re going to be responding to DTE’s application, and if there’s any type of tree removal or anything within the roadway right-of-way, they would have to follow our procedure and regulations for that permit activity. They are a public utility. They have the right to be within that public road right-of-way.”

“Once the permit is issued, and the project has started, then we will use our website to update the public as far as the the activity that’s happening. We have a weekly road work schedule that we publish weekly,” said Schlack.

WCRC Communications Manager Tiffany Oliphant clarified that even though WCRC is not required to collect public input before approving a permit, the agency welcomes public engagement. “We always welcome the public’s feedback. They can come to our board meetings, they can come to our chat meetings. They can come to anything. We are open and transparent.”

WCRC’s Tree Policy, which can be found on its website, states, “WCRC will make permit holders aware of this policy and request compliance regarding any third-party tree trimming and tree removal work, where practicable.”

DTE’s Response

STN reached out to DTE about the project and asked what other plans, options, or paths were considered for this part of their route. DTE said alternatives were considered but did not provide further detail about those options or how the decision was made. 

DTE Energy Senior Communications Strategist Dave Ackerly said via email, “Yes, other paths were considered, but the current plan is the best path to both increase our customers’ reliability and also ensure that we can limit the time our customers are without power should an outage occur.”  

Ackerly said that DTE has committed to reducing outages by 30% and outage durations by 50% by the end of 2029. He said equipment located along the current path is difficult to access during an outage so relocating it closer to the road will help meet their outage goals. 

Since 2022, this portion of the line has experienced a total of eighteen outages, thirteen of which had an average duration under three minutes. 

DTE said the planned tree work will affect about 23 properties along this portion of their line and that almost all of it falls within the ROW. Most tree work within the ROW does not require any owner agreement but DTE has offered to work with property owners to minimize the impact on their properties. 

Ackerly said permission from property owners is only necessary when a tree outside the ROW requires complete removal and the number of those cases is minimal. 

“Most of the Vegetation Agreements have already been signed,” he said.