At the Nov. 21 meeting the Cass County Council heard a request from Jeff Smith of the Highway Department to seek federal grant funding for two transportation projects.

Smith said the county plans to apply for a countywide regulatory and warning sign replacement project estimated at about $2,200,000. The grant would carry roughly a 90/10 federal-to-local match; Smith said the county's share would be approximately 10% and recommended splitting the application into two requests to improve funding chances.

The second request is to seek federal aid for resurfacing and widening segments of Davis Road from the roundabout to the fairgrounds and Aim High Park. Smith estimated the project cost at just over $5,000,000 and said the county would request about $4,200,000 in federal funds, with a roughly 20% local match — about $1,000,000 — expected to be funded through economic development funds. He said project year assignment (when funds would be programmed) is likely two to three years out.

Council members asked about retroreflectivity requirements and replacement cadence for signs. Smith explained most counties lack testing equipment and replace signs on a time-based schedule (the county-wide replacement was last done around 2012), and that the grant strategy was designed to improve likelihood of partial funding rather than risk none.

Council indicated no objection to pursuing the grant applications and recorded the authorization in the meeting minutes.