How the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office Partners with Townships

The Montgomery County Engineer’s Office (MCEO) is committed to maintaining clear and transparent partnerships with each township in Montgomery County. Our goal is to ensure that township officials, staff, and residents understand how our office communicates, prioritizes work, and fulfills its statutory responsibilities.

Communication & Service Requests

Our office maintains over 310 miles of road, 541 bridges, 2,000+ culverts, and 8,700 traffic signs. Because we must prioritize safety-critical activities, we schedule all other work accordingly.

To improve coordination with townships, MCEO is developing an online request form, expected to launch in late 2026, that will allow township staff to submit service requests directly through our website. Once submitted, a confirmation email will be sent automatically with status updates provided by our dispatcher. Until that time, service requests can continue to be made by phone at 937-837-2528.

Roles and Day-to-Day Responsibilities

Townships and the County Engineer share the common goal of providing safe, clean, and functional roads for the traveling public. In addition to snow and ice control, capital improvements, and general maintenance for county-maintained roads and bridges, the following outlines other operational roles on county-designated routes:

  • Roadkill Removal: MCEO removes large animals (e.g., deer) that pose a hazard to vehicular traffic. Smaller animals are not removed unless the County Engineer or his agent assesses that the animal imposes a hazard to vehicular traffic.
  • Right of Way Maintenance: Our crews maintain and clean county roadways when safety hazards exist or as scheduled work allows. MCEO does not dispatch crews to pick up trash in county maintained right of way unless the County Engineer or his agent assesses that the trash imposes a hazard to vehicular traffic.
  • Street Sweeping and Weed Control: County routes are swept and sprayed on a rotating basis, subject to weather and staffing.
  • Observation: Our personnel, through the course of their regular maintenance activities, monitor road conditions and report needs as they are identified through their supervisors.

Development Review & Coordination

The County Engineer’s statutory authority in land development comes from Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Chapter 711, which governs subdivision plats and roadway improvements. Our office provides technical reviews to ensure compliance with the County’s adopted Subdivision Regulations. Land use and zoning authority, however, rest solely with each township under ORC Chapter 519. To avoid confusion about these separate roles, the County Engineer does not attend township zoning or trustee meetings.

For Planned Developments under ORC 519.021, the County Engineer participates by reviewing roadway access, drainage (in the capacity of County Drainage Engineer), and infrastructure design for technical consistency with County subdivision regulations.

Construction Inspection & Acceptance

Under ORC 711.091, the County, not the Township, is responsible for inspection and acceptance of public infrastructure constructed under a subdivision agreement. Townships do not have statutory authority to co-inspect or formally “accept” improvements. However, as a courtesy, the MCEO will continue to:

  • Invite township staff to final inspection walk-throughs,
  • Share construction documentation, and
  • Consider township input before final acceptance.

Use of Township-Hired Engineering Consultants

Townships may engage consultants for zoning or planning advice under ORC 519.05, but those consultants do not hold review authority under ORC Chapter 711. Consultant comments are advisory and will be considered alongside County standards.

Right of Way Mowing and Beautification

MCEO maintains all county-designated routes, including medians, under a countywide mowing and fertilizer schedule. Townships that wish to provide a higher level of service (e.g., more frequent mowing or fertilization) may do so with their own resources after obtaining a right of way permit issued by our office.

Continuing Partnership

The County Engineer values strong partnerships with every township. We encourage township officials to contact our office with questions or ideas that improve coordination. Together, we can ensure that residents across Montgomery County experience safe, well-maintained, and compliant roadways and bridges.