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Coffee County road department reports equipment delays, snow plans, SS4A LIDAR study and sign vandalism
Summary
Road department staff reported a delayed dump truck, plans to hire mower operators, a $150,000 SS4A LIDAR safety study with a roughly $53,000 (20%) match, snow response plans using brine with beet juice, and widespread sign damage or theft.
Ben, a county road staff member, provided a multi-topic operations update covering equipment status, staffing, a federal safety study grant, winter response plans and sign damage. He summarized current maintenance work and flagged several items needing follow-up.
Ben reported that the county has not yet received a new dump truck that has been expected for up to two years; the vendor previously said December but the delivery date remains uncertain. He said one county tractor has about "10000 hours" on it and that the department may propose a replacement in next spring’s budget. The staff also noted two recent retirements on a mowing crew and said the department will recruit two mower operators but will delay most hiring until the next mowing season.
On winter operations, staff said they plan to salt key areas and begin plowing late Friday night if forecasts materialize. They discussed brine with beet juice additives that can extend melting effectiveness from about 25°F down to roughly 5°F, but noted Tennessee practices and local conditions could limit usefulness.
Ben outlined a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant the county won for a lidar-based road-condition and sign-survey study. The grant award discussed was $150,000; staff estimated a 20% local match of roughly $53,000. Ben said the county can purchase fewer data layers to reduce cost if needed and that changes at the federal administrative level could affect program rules or match requirements.
Staff also reported persistent sign damage and theft across the county, including missing signs and brackets forcibly removed or cut; the department said it has found broken-off pieces in brackets and suspects tools such as cordless grinders have been used. The department is inventorying signs and said many will need replacement.
No formal votes were recorded on these operational items; staff asked that project numbers and grant details be added to the minutes for distribution.
