Committee flags design and floodplain concerns for Cameron project and bridge fill proposals

Iroquois County committee members reviewed outstanding engineering concerns on the Cameron project and discussed recent contractor inquiries about hauling excavated material and contaminated soils from bridge work.

On the Cameron project, committee members said the county’s engineers narrowed an initial list of 10 issues to three unresolved items. One unresolved item concerns proposed excavation on sloped land adjacent to a river; members and county engineers noted the site’s water table sits about five feet below grade, making deep excavations problematic without drainage or an outlet. County staff said they had asked the applicant to provide sample solutions and that the applicant appeared willing to revise designs.

Separately, a contractor asked whether about 300 truckloads of fill from bridge work could be hauled to a county location. Committee members and staff discussed wetland and floodplain limits and concluded the material should be placed outside the flood plain; staff directed the contractor to coordinate directly with county engineering staff to confirm acceptable placement and permitting.

The committee emphasized the need for better communication between the county highway department and permitting staff so the county can track where fill and soils from highway or bridge projects are placed and ensure compliance with floodplain and environmental controls.

Next steps: applicants for the Cameron project will provide more detailed design alternatives for the county to review; the contractor proposing to move fill will coordinate with county engineering for an acceptable placement outside the flood plain.