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Franklin County approves MoDOT detour use and hears geotechnical update on Highway 100 settlement near Washington
Summary
The commission authorized MoDOT to use local roads for a box culvert detour and heard county staff report that geotechnical drillers found deep silt, sand and clay at a failing section of Highway 100; final lab recommendations are expected within a week.
FRANKLIN COUNTY — The Franklin County Commission approved an agreement allowing the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission (MoDOT) to use county roads as part of a detour for a box culvert replacement and heard a staff update on ongoing geotechnical work at a settling section of Highway 100 east of Washington.
The commission approved commission order 2025-152, authorizing MoDOT to use Pickles Ford Road and Anaconda Road for a portion of a detour during a box culvert replacement. County staff described the closure as temporary: "It will be over one weekend," and later clarified, "It'll be a three-day closure ... probably later in July," according to Jim, a county staff member who presented the item.
Jim told commissioners the county is not committing additional services to MoDOT for the detour: "None whatsoever. They're going to install the detour signs, and then they'll remove them." The agreement was described as allowing MoDOT use of the roads and was approved by motion; the meeting record shows the motion carried.
During a separate discussion about Highway 100 near SECO east of Washington, Jim reported that geotechnical drillers have completed cores, including one core "over a 100 feet" and another "slightly under a 100 feet." He said crews found the subsurface was "mainly made up of silt, sand, and ... clay" and that samples were taken "at every 5 foot level." Jim said laboratory analysis of those samples is underway and "they anticipate having all those results in their recommendations for the county within the week."
County officials noted the roadway continues to settle despite being closed to traffic and that the source of seepage cannot be determined until excavation begins. Jim described potential stabilization approaches that might avoid excavating to bedrock — for example shoring or methods to "encapsulate the clay so the clay doesn't and the sand does not migrate out from underneath the road" — but said the design recommendations are pending and the fix "is not gonna be a cheap fix."
Commissioners discussed, informally, whether adding to an upcoming MoDOT bridge project could be an option; no formal motion to pursue that approach was recorded. Jim also said groundwater samples were taken and noted there is no city water in the area; the building near the site uses wells and is "45, 50 years old," according to his remarks. The transcript does not include firm cost estimates or a finalized engineering plan; staff said they will forward the geotechnical recommendations to commissioners when available.
