March 19, 2024

County rolls out secondary roads five year plan

Eighteen bridges are scheduled to be replaced or rehabilitated during the fiscal year 2018 the Jasper County Engineer’s office announced Tuesday. Engineer Russ Stutt and assistant to the engineer Pam Olson presented the secondary roads five year plan to the Jasper County Board of Supervisor during a public hearing which saw plans through fiscal year 2022.

On the schedule for FY2018 are projects including bridge replacements at:

• South 112th Avenue East over Buckley Creek

• Highway F48 over Prairie Creek

• North 91st Avenue West over Wolf Creek

• East 84th Street South over Elk Creek

• North 75th Avenue West over Clear Creek

• County Road F17 over the North Skunk River

• County Road F48 over Squaw Creek

• County Road F48 over Cherry Creek

• East 132nd Street South over Slater Creek

• Inlet Avenue over Coon Creek

• East 132nd Street South over Small Stream

• South 52nd Avenue East over Prairie Creek

• West Fourth Street South over Sewer Creek

• South 52nd Avenue West over Small Stream

• North 115th Avenue East over Brush Creek

• North 75th Avenue East over Small Stream

Two bridges will also be replaced with culverts at North Fourth Avenue East over Elk Creek and on Pinion Avenue over Pleasant Run Creek. The county also has a pavement resurfacing scheduled to Highway F27 from Highway 224 east approximately three miles.

Beginning in FY2019 through FY 2022, an additional 13 bridges are scheduled to be addressed along with five stretches of road for pavement rehabilitation and the additional on culvert.

“When you get that far out, there are things that can change,” Olson said. “Say you have a bridge that goes out next year, that will shift where the funds will go because it is a situation that has to be dealt with.”

While the meeting was intended to be focused on projects in the five year plan, a vast majority of the hour and a half long discussion was spent on the condition of gravel roads in the county. Several citizens expressed their displeasure with the type of rock used, the amount of rock on their roads, how the rock in graded and the attentiveness of the county to address their concerns. Stutt fielded as many questions as he could while they came at him in sometimes vulgar language.

Starting last year, the county was divided into four quadrants to be addressed by a contracted service for grading and laying rock. In 2016, the southwest quadrant saw work with the southwest quadrant set for 2017. Work to be completed includes adding a 5 degree crown to the road to help with water drainage and gravel work.

Along with the contracted work, Stutt said the county will also continue to lay gravel in the other three quadrants along with in trouble areas and hopes to work with unhappy citizens to address their needs.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com