March 29, 2024

Bridge replacement projects planned as part of five-year plan

The Jasper County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing regarding the Secondary Roads Department’s five-year plan.

One of the major projects scheduled for next year was a bridge replacement project on South 126th Avenue East over the South Skunk River. Jasper County Engineer Russell Stutt told the board the project may cost around $1.8 million, and he expects it to be the most complicated project on the plan.

Some citizens in attendance were concerned with the bridge being temporarily shut down. One asked if he could use his ATV to cross in the event the bridge was closed. Stutt said if he approved an ATV crossing, it would be a liability issue for the county.

Another major bridge replacement project scheduled for next year is the Meadow Avenue Bridge over Cherry Creek. It is estimated to cost $550,000. The department will also be working on 10 other bridge projects, each expected to cost less than $100,000.

Another major proposed project was a $2 million eight-mile asphalt overlay project, on county blacktop T38S near Interstate Highway 80.

Also included in the five-year plan were the following projects:

• Deck Rehabilitation — There are a number of projects expected to cost the department about $150,000 each scheduled for 2015. They are located at county blacktop F48W over Prairie Creek, county blacktop F24 over Indian Creek and county blacktop T12N over the North Skunk River.

• Road paving projects — The county is estimated to spend about $4.4 million from 2016 to 2019 on road paving projects, the biggest, scheduled for 2017, a resurfacing project along county blacktop F62 in Sully. It is expected to cost about $2 million, and will include the widening of road shoulders.

• Granular Maintenance Surfacing — In 2015, the county is expected to spend about $250,000 on a granular maintenance surfacing project. Granular work consists of crushed stone, pit run or screened gravel along the shoulder of an existing road.

Staff writer Matthew Shepard may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 425, or at mshepard@newtondailynews.com.