With Horatio Earle, Rogers shares major credit for launching Michigan's first road-building program and winning public support. Upon creation of the State highway Department in 1905, he was appointed deputy commissioner under Earle and served until 1913, when he became the first elected commissioner. From then until 1929, longer than any other man, he administered the road-building program in the era that "pulled Michigan out of the mud". He was mainly responsible for laying out the original state highway network that won recognition as one of the nation's best. Rogers was a founder and the first treasurer of the American Association of State highway Officials in 1914 and was AASHTO president in 1924-1925. As city engineer of Port Huron in 1891-98, he built the first brick pavement north of Detroit.