County highway engineer wins approvals for culvert bid date, extra gravel crushing and right-of-way payments

Nick Bergman, Pipestone County highway engineer, told commissioners the county will move forward with several routine highway actions and a request for board support on a federal grant.

The board unanimously approved a right-of-way payment related to culvert projects after Bergman presented the parcel details. Commissioners then voted to set a bid opening for box culvert work at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 26 and to increase the county's gravel-crushing quantity by 25% for the year.

"We did not expect to get these funded this year, so, this is a bonus for us," Bergman said about the additional culvert funding, urging the board to set the bid date so the highway department can move forward. On gravel, Bergman said production and gradations are returning well and that current prices were lower than last year, prompting his recommendation to expand the crushing volume.

Bergman also reported that the City of Pipestone requested a letter of support for a federal lands access-type grant to connect previously completed road phases. Bergman said the county's signature would not create a direct financial commitment and that the county's role would be a pass-through if the federal program requires it; he said he planned to sign the letter with the board's tacit support.

Why it matters: Approving the bid date and increasing crushing will allow construction work to proceed through contracted processes and ensure material availability; the letter of support can help the city secure federal funds to connect local phases of a larger road project.

Ending: Bergman indicated busy upcoming construction schedules, including a main-street job in Edgerton that has completed and another project scheduled to start soon.