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Polk County highway and public-works staff report dam, recycling and bridge-inventory progress
Summary
County public works and highway staff updated the committee on Clam Falls Dam construction, recycling-center repairs and a state-funded inventory of small structures; highway staff said 49 county-owned structures were uploaded to the state's HSI system and inspections are scheduled for 2025 with state reimbursement.
Polk County public-works and highway staff gave the committee status updates on several infrastructure projects and maintenance programs, including Clam Falls Dam, recycling-facility repairs and a county inventory of small bridge structures.
Public Works reported that work on Clam Falls Dam is "done as far as they can go by January" and that crews will return in March to install gates and actuators to finish the job; the department also said contractors will redo metal flashing around the top of the county recycling building and expected interior completion in the next couple of weeks, with a punch-list walkthrough scheduled for Feb. 11. Public Works noted new bullet-resistant glazing had been installed on public-facing windows at the Justice Center and received positive feedback.
Highway staff described winter operations and equipment impacts: light snow has allowed additional brush-cutting and right-of-way work, but increased mower use has caused more equipment breakdowns. The county rented a bucket truck through January to address hazardous trees and leaned vegetation over roadways.
On statewide bridge inventory work, county staff said they completed the Westaff 6-to-20-foot structure inventory and uploaded qualifying structures into the state's HSI system. "We identified 49 structures in the county that qualified and were uploaded into HSI," staff said; inspections of those structures are scheduled in 2025 and the inventory and inspection work will be reimbursed by state funds. Staff noted they initially identified 52 potential structures but after review uploaded 49 county-owned structures.
Committee members asked whether private-drive bridges or trail structures were included; staff replied those were not included in the inventory, which covered municipal roads only. The highway office said it will finalize its 2025 project list and prepare requests for proposals for spring bids.
Ending: County staff will continue project closeouts, return in March to complete dam gates and actuators, and proceed with the state-funded structure inspections in 2025.
