LaSalle County approves 2026 highway improvement program, maintenance funding and permits

LaSalle County highway department staff presented a 2026 County Highway Improvement Program and related maintenance funding at a county meeting; county officials approved the program and related funding and permits, and introduced a bridge inspection contract.

The improvement program adopted by county officials directs work across resurfacing, chip-seal and microsurface projects, bridge and culvert replacements, and shoulder and gravel work. County staff recommended approval of a utility permit from Comcast to place cable along County Highway 33 in Dimock Township and asked the board to appropriate motor-fuel tax funds to cover maintenance costs for 2026.

The program lists a series of paving and resurfacing projects including a cape seal (chip-seal plus micro) budgeted at $1,200,000 and a proposed microsurface project on County Highway 9 (estimated about $256,000). Resurfacing items include County Highway 21 from 23 to 4 at $1,100,000; County Highway 29 from 18 to County Highway 64 Kingley at just over $1,000,000; widening and engineering work on County Highway 34 (Deepena Road) at $915,000; and resurfacing on County Highway 44 in Leonor at $300,000. The highway department also listed bridge and culvert projects: a locally cost-shared central bridge with Lee County at about $700,000; a culvert on County Highway 15 south of Kernan at $650,000; two culverts near Bridal Farms totaling about $255,000; deck rehabilitation on County Highway 32 at $900,000; a bridge replacement on County Highway 34 at Clark Run for $2,000,000; a structure near the marina at $600,000; and two replacements on County Highway 57 for $200,000.

On the mechanics and materials, a staff member described microsurfacing as a thin slurry layer applied over an existing chip seal: "Microsurface is basically we do our cape seal, which is a chip seal with a micro over top of it," the staff member said, adding the layer is roughly "an eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch" thick.

County staff asked for and received approval for several routine items. A Comcast utility permit (25-43) to place cable along County Highway 33 in Dimock Township was recommended for approval and approved by voice vote. The board also approved a set of employees' boring permits (motion recorded as approved by voice vote). Resolution 25-24, adopting the 2026 County Highway Improvement Program, was approved by voice vote. The board then approved Resolution 25-25, appropriating $1,970,000 in fuel-tax funds toward the 2026 general maintenance program; staff said the maintenance program's total expected cost is about $3,194,000, with the remainder to be covered from highway and special tax matching funds ($1,224,000).

The board discussed but did not record a final vote in the provided transcript on Resolution 25-26, a professional services agreement with Will Hoffman Associates for biannual township bridge inspections and a county load reanalysis. Staff noted Will Hoffman increased fees for first inspections; the transcript ends as the item is being introduced.

Votes at a glance - Utility permit 25-43 (Comcast cable along County Highway 33 in Dimock Township): approved (voice vote). Mover/second: not specified. Tally: voice vote recorded as "Aye"; numerical tally not specified. - Employees' boring permits: approved (voice vote). Mover/second: not specified. Tally: voice vote recorded as "Aye"; numerical tally not specified. - Resolution 25-24 (adopt 2026 County Highway Improvement Program): approved (voice vote). Mover/second: not specified. Tally: voice vote recorded as "Aye"; numerical tally not specified. - Resolution 25-25 (appropriate $1,970,000 in fuel tax funds for 2026 maintenance program): approved (voice vote). Mover/second: not specified. Tally: voice vote recorded as "Aye"; numerical tally not specified. - Resolution 25-26 (professional services agreement with Will Hoffman Associates for bridge inspections/load reanalysis): introduced; vote not recorded in the provided transcript.

Why it matters: The improvement program and the maintenance appropriation together set the county's 2026 priorities for road surfaces, bridges and culverts and allocate the major share of motor-fuel tax funds for the year. Several multi-hundred-thousand-dollar bridge and replacement projects and a $2 million bridge replacement are included, signaling capital work the county intends to pursue or advance to design and bidding.

Next steps and context: With the appropriation approved, the highway department will proceed with the scheduled maintenance program and projects listed in Resolution 25-24. The Will Hoffman Associates agreement for inspections and load reanalysis was introduced with a noted fee increase; the transcript does not record final approval for that agreement.