Highway commissioner urges more road funding as board approves bridge and county aid resolutions

Chris, the highway commissioner, delivered the annual highway report required by state statute and told the board the county remains well short of the department's target paving and maintenance cycle.

The commissioner said a 25-year paving cycle translates to about 20 miles per year; the county paved 12.9 miles this year out of 488 county highway miles. "A 25 year paving cycle would be 20 miles per year, and you can see up there that we're nowhere near that," he said, noting a 2023 uptick primarily funded with ARPA dollars. Chip-seal work also lagged department targets.

The report reviewed winter maintenance funding (county winter maintenance funded at $1.5 million for 2026 and state routine maintenance agreement funding at $2,580,000 in 2025) and a state salt bid for 2025-26 of $108.95 per ton. The commissioner said the department has reduced rock-salt usage by expanding brine application and continues safety and training efforts to limit workers' compensation claims.

On bridges, the commissioner listed four county bridge replacements completed this year, and described the County Q bridge (south of County Highway B, Tilden), a deck and superstructure replacement that required more inspection and adjustment than originally anticipated but is now open to traffic. He also summarized the 2026 capital improvement plan (projected 9.4 miles of paving for 2026 and 31 miles of chip seal) and equipment purchases planned for 2026, including three patrol trucks (estimated $990,000 total), a portable pressure washer and a chipper.

During discussion, supervisors asked about long-term funding options. Staff described three principal pathways: pursuing legislative authority for a local sales-tax increase (previous proposals considered a 0.5% sales-tax increment that could raise approximately $9 million per year if enacted and shared), pursuing a wheel tax or other local revenue measures (noted as politically difficult), or increasing borrowing (which raises debt service). County staff and supervisors also noted the statewide conversation about raising the gas tax as another potential revenue source.

Business actions tied to the highway report: the board read and adopted Resolution 34-25 (county aid in 2026 for bridges and culverts) and Resolution 35-25 (funds for county aid construction and maintenance during calendar year 2026). Both resolutions were moved, seconded and approved unanimously as recorded in the meeting transcript.