Published: July 23, 2008 09:30 am      

Extensive road repair being done in county

CLINTON — The Clinton County Board of Supervisors recently heard the Secondary Road Department Report, during which Clinton County Engineer Todd Kinney detailed the work that has been done to Clinton County roads and bridges since May 5, 2008.

According to Kinney, department employees are performing extensive cleanup and repair to county roads and bridges that incurred more than $120,000 in damages during this year’s flooding.

“We’re going to be doing debris removal for a long time,” Kinney said.

“It could be this time next year (before it’s complete.)”

According to Kinney, 25 sections of county roads were under water during flooding, and are currently being repaired.

The department hashired an outside contractor to perform underwater inspections of the county’s bridges.

The department has also constructed, modified or widened 23 property entrances since May 5, for a current total of 74 this fiscal year. Kinney noted that the department instituted a new permit process on July 1, charging $250 a permit, which has resulted in an income of $18,500 so far this year.

According to Kinney, the site for the Roadside Management Building has been rough-graded and the footings and walls have been poured. A contract has been awarded to River Service Company, and the utility lines are currently being installed. Kinney stated construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

Kinney noted that he met with a federal highway representative July 14 regarding emergency repair funding for county road E-36 south of Lost Nation, which was washed out by floodwaters. Kinney was told the county would be eligible for federal funding after providing a cost estimate for repairs. Kinney noted that because the road required an emergency repair, it would 100 percent funded.

“The only caveat to that is, we cannot open the road until all the repairs are done,” Kinney said.

Kinney reported that although the Secondary Road Department was over budget for the 2008 fiscal year, the department was able to make up for that shortfall by processing a $356,000 budget amendment and drawing down on the reserve fund that the department is required to have by the Department of Transportation. He explained that no additional property taxes were transferred to the department’s budget.

The Secondary Road Department is responsible for maintaining more than 200 miles of paved roads, 800 miles of gravel roads and more than 300 bridges throughout Clinton County.