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Commission discusses alternatives and funding limits for County Road 8 repairs
Summary
The Griggs County Commission debated lower-cost alternatives for repairing County Road 8 (McHenry Road), weighing riprap slopes and limited widening against state-standard berm and borrow approaches, and discussed where to pursue grant funding.
Griggs County commissioners spent substantial time discussing multiple repair approaches for County Road 8 (McHenry Road), including whether the county could build shallower riprap slopes and 4:1 outslope areas as a lower-cost alternative to the high berms and borrow-heavy approach the state has used on similar projects.
Road department staff and commissioners reviewed trade-offs in cost, safety and permitting. Commissioners suggested a narrower, lower-impact fix that would avoid extensive borrow and 12-foot berms, proposing 4:1 riprap slopes and paving the top to match the rest of the road. Road staff raised safety concerns: riprap in the clear zone is less recoverable for errant vehicles than sloped grass shoulders, and modern practice and safety reviewers may not approve a design that leaves rock immediately adjacent to the travel lane. County staff also noted wetland and environmental mitigation would still be required for any in-fill or slope work.
Commissioners discussed funding options. Staff said the county had submitted a larger safety grant previously and that the state’s only comment on denial was that the project was too expensive; they also discussed a separate round of Lehi funds (deadline Sept. 19) that might accept a revised submission. A member of staff said the county could consider smaller, discrete fixes for the gravel sections and add shoulder dust control for detour routes; another option discussed was salvaging existing riprap where feasible rather than hauling large amounts of borrow.
The debate balanced immediate affordability against long-term safety and state standards. Commissioners agreed County Road 8 should be a top priority along with Red Willow Road; staff said they would look into whether lower-cost riprap or chinking (small rock between larger rock) solutions remain allowable under current safety guidance and whether salvaged riprap can be reused. The commission did not adopt a specific design during the meeting and directed staff to research permitting, safety approval and cost comparisons for alternatives to the state’s berm-heavy approach.
