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Page County orders International T14 chassis, engineer reports $1.7 million bridge grant award pending
Summary
The Page County Board of Supervisors approved ordering two cab-and-chassis trucks (International T14) and heard an update from County Engineer JD King about ongoing road projects and a competitive bridge grant expected to fund about 80% of a Redwood Avenue bridge replacement.
The Page County Board of Supervisors voted to order two cab-and-chassis truck chassis, approving a recommendation to purchase International T14 transmissions now and buy truck equipment in the next fiscal year.
JD King, Page County engineer, told the board the International T14 was recommended because its rear-mounted hydraulic pump can be direct-mounted to the engine, reducing field-repair problems the county has experienced with remote-mounted pump drive shafts.
King also reported a pending competitive bridge grant for a Redwood Avenue bridge north of Clarinda, with an estimated total project cost of about $1,700,000 and roughly 80% of that cost covered by the grant if the award is finalized.
The decision on the chassis came after a multi-part discussion about long lead times at body fabricators, the county budget schedule and the condition of older trucks. King said the county plans to order the chassis in fiscal 2026 and have the truck equipment (plow, sander, box, hydraulics) installed in mid‑2027 by a preferred vendor in Des Moines.
Commissioners and shop staff discussed maintenance history on the trucks being replaced, transmission and pump mounting differences between International, Freightliner and Mack (MAC) products, and trade‑in/resale considerations. Shop staff emphasized past failures associated with transmission‑mounted hydraulic pump drive shafts and said a directly mounted engine pump reduces the need for roadside repairs in severe weather.
Board action: Commissioner Todd moved to order the International T14 cab‑and‑chassis now, with the truck equipment procured in the FY27 budget year; another commissioner seconded the motion, and the motion carried with aye votes recorded. The board earlier also approved the chairman signing a final project voucher as part of routine project closeout.
Why it matters: Replacing aging trucks and choosing a chassis type affects maintenance costs, roadside safety and how quickly the county can respond to weather events. The bridge grant, if finalized, would fund a major capital bridge replacement on Redwood Avenue and change the county’s capital project timeline.
Details from the meeting: King described ongoing shoulder work, concrete pours and guardrail schedules for a bridge project that the county expects to open in mid‑July (subject to paving and stripe work). He said the grant is through a competitive highway bridge program administered with county engineering association input and that the DOT had not yet published a final list for city and state bridges. King said the grant selection committee had the county bridges picked but had not called the list final.
What’s next: The county will place the chassis order to secure a slot with the fabricator; truck equipment procurement will return for approval under the FY27 budget process. King will continue to pursue the bridge grant paperwork and notify the board when the award is finalized.
