County advances bridge replacement work: right-of-way buys and notices to bidders scheduled

Johnson County engineering staff told the Board of Supervisors on July 30 that right-of-way agreements and notices to bidders for two bridge-replacement projects are ready to advance, and staff asked to place the related agenda items on the board's August 7 formal meeting. Assistant County Engineer Rob Winstead and Assistant to the Engineer Jesse Ward said the Byertown/Beartown Road Southwest bridge replacement requires small permanent right-of-way acquisitions and temporary construction easements. Staff presented two proposed right-of-way payments: $600 to Tyler B. Grout and Jenna M. Grout for approximately 0.02 acres, and $2,660 to Michelle R. Phillips for approximately 0.16 acres. Winstead said acquisitions often cover fencing and temporary construction easements in addition to permanent right-of-way. Staff also requested that the auditor publish notices to bidders. The projects share a local letting date of Sept. 9; engineering staff said they would report bid results to the board the next day. Winstead described the Greencastle Avenue Southwest replacement as a timber bridge similar to other low-volume-road timber bridges the county has installed. He noted that Greencastle had been closed earlier in the spring and that, unlike the Beartown project, no additional right-of-way was required for Greencastle because the timber design fits the existing alignment. Supervisors directed staff to place the right-of-way agreements and notices to bidders on the Aug. 7 agenda for formal action.