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Garrett County public works seeks new road equipment, $2.8M in bridge engineering and replacement
Summary
County public works presented a capital equipment and bridge-priority request that would replace aging trucks and machines, upgrade lighting and electronic signs, and cover roughly $2.8 million in bridge and culvert engineering and replacement costs; no formal vote was taken at the meeting.
Paul, a public works staff member, presented Garrett County Commissioners with the department’s capital equipment and bridge priorities, requesting funds to replace aging trucks and machines and to pay for bridge engineering and replacements estimated at about $2.8 million.
The request covers replacement of brush hogs and single-axle plow trucks, purchase of a one-time dump truck and a shoulder machine used after paving, upgrades to plow and emergency lighting, mobile LED lighting and radar speed signs, and funding for multiple bridge and culvert projects. Paul said the purchases are part of the department’s preventive maintenance program and safety upgrades.
The equipment request aims to keep the county’s plow fleet in rotation; Paul said the county runs “about 55 single axle trucks that we plow with,” and that some trucks date back to 1999. He described a tri-axle truck whose frame “gave out,” saying that particular vehicle must be replaced. On lighting, Paul said the department plans to switch from amber lights to a yellow-green multicolored lighting that “will be a safety, for us and our drivers and everything people see is coming.” He also described mobile radar speed signs that collect speed data and said the department is seeking a mobile lighting stand required by law for night flagging operations.
On bridges, Paul said the county is pursuing a mix of bridge replacements, culvert work and engineering studies required by MDE. He listed a package of projects that add up to roughly $2,800,000 for bridge work and engineering. Paul said the county recently replaced a bridge in Shalimar that cost $1,200,000, of which the county’s share was $100,000 because outside partners supplied the remainder. He named partner organizations working with the county: Fish and Wildlife, Trout Unlimited, MDE and DNR.
Tracy Kelly, identified by Paul as the project manager/inspector for bridges and a two-year staff member, is overseeing the bridge program, Paul said, and the department is pursuing grants to offset some equipment costs such as LED lighting and signs. A commissioner asked why two single-axle trucks cost more than a tri-axle; Paul replied that single-axle units are sold “fully loaded” with plows, spreader boxes and other equipment, which increases the package price.
No formal motion or vote was recorded during the presentation. The discussion ended with an opportunity for commissioners to ask questions; the presentation closed with no immediate action recorded.
Background: Paul said several pieces of equipment in the capital list are very old (a shoulder machine was described as a 1980 model) and noted the department uses smaller trucks for gravel roads and some school plowing where larger trucks cannot reach. He also said engineering costs for some bridge work are “very expensive” and that partnerships have reduced the county’s direct cost for at least one recent project.
