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County approves architects for secondary roads maintenance expansion; bridge work and salt supply noted
Summary
The board approved hiring an architect for the Secondary Roads main shop expansion; engineers reported bridge replacements (including a degraded structure on 150th Street), three bridge projects under construction, a federal grant award for portable traffic signals and an inflated winter salt bid this year that may affect procurement.
The Story County Board of Supervisors on July 15 approved architectural services for a planned expansion of the county’s Secondary Roads maintenance building in Nevada and heard a departmental update on bridge projects, construction and seasonal supplies.
Darren, secondary roads staff, said the CIP includes a building expansion budget originally estimated at $1,000,000; a recent architect cost estimate raised the likely construction cost to about $1,300,000. The planned expansion would add heated storage bays, a wash bay with a cinder-block wall to permit indoor washing in winter, a break room and additional offices and bathrooms. The board approved the architect contract and the planned timeline to build next summer.
On construction and maintenance, county engineers reported three bridge projects underway: a replacement on 150th Street (Skunk River) that required removal of an older historic-placed truss structure because of severe corrosion, two other bridges that began construction recently, and a Maxwell bridge project that will affect local detours. The county completed a pile-encasement repair on a 150th Street structure to buy service life after winter inspections found significant deterioration.
Staff also reported an unusual Spring salt procurement: the county received only one bid for highway salt at about $232/ton compared with a typical $82/ton; the Iowa DOT offered assistance if the county rejects the bid, and county stock (about 900 tons) may be adequate for next winter. Engineers said they received a $50,000 HSIP grant for portable traffic signals and expect one bridge (Howard Section 11) to be approved for a CHBP grant.
Why it matters: the shop expansion will ease operational constraints (indoor washing, additional bays and staff facilities); active bridge replacements address safety issues found during inspections. The salt procurement anomaly could affect winter operations and costs if the market does not normalize.
Board action: the board approved the architectural services contract for the maintenance building expansion and authorized staff to continue with project budgeting and construction planning; no construction contracts were awarded July 15.
