Jasper County changes funding sources for upcoming F-48 West resurfacing

Funding sources for the F-48 West resurfacing project from the bridge over South Skunk River to Newton city limits were changed during the Jasper County Board of Supervisors meeting on June 20, but the county engineer said the scope and the ultimate price tag of the project will not change.

Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch said his department had already been approved to use $965,000 of Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP-SWAP) funds for the project. But the federal government told the state in April that it needs to reclassify the funding for a number of projects.

Including the almost six miles of HMA resurfacing along the Jasper County highway, sometimes referred to by locals as “Old 6.” Frietsch said the funding was reclassified from HSIP-SWAP to the High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) fund. As a result, it also changed the project number. The board approved that as well.

In addition, the supervisors tabled a professional services agreement with Snyder & Associates, Inc. for the second phase of the F-48 West resurfacing project in order to make slight changes in the contract. The second phase extends from the South Skunk River Bridge to Colfax city limits, or to Iowa Highway 117.

“I had (the county attorney) review this and he did have some concerns regarding paragraph 12 as far as it didn’t say Jasper County … He also had concerns about paragraph 16 in here as far as who is going to bear the costs of the attorney fees,” Frietsch said, noting he’d like to table it until the beginning of July.

Since the first meeting in July would fall on a holiday — Independence Day — the agreement is likely to make its return on July 11.

The first phase of the HMA resurfacing project is scheduled to be let by the Iowa Department of Transportation on Aug. 15, Frietsch said. The project is estimated to cost $4.5 million, about $2.9 million of which will consist of farm-to-market funds and the remaining being covered by federal aid.