County engineer reports progress on road, bridge and pilot pavement work

During the meeting the county engineer provided a detailed update on road and bridge work across Winneshiek County and described a pilot pavement treatment being monitored for performance.

Staff said in‑house concrete patching and use of microfiber reinforcement have reduced costs compared with previous contractor prices and that crews have completed or are progressing on repairs for multiple roads and culverts. Bridge work referenced included Bridge 208 and Bridge 126 (vertical and curtain wall work), and Bridge 307 was noted as completing work and moving toward final signatures and project closeout.

The engineer discussed a pilot product applied on Town Line/Whitetail that temporarily produces a slimy surface when wet but hardens and gains strength after about 28 days of curing; crews applied added aggregate to stabilize the surface and will continue monitoring performance before wider use. Staff emphasized all schedules and outcomes remain weather‑dependent and that some repairs may require weekend or overtime crews.

Other items included reimbursement of sign costs, upcoming equipment and materials scheduling, and staff attendance at regional conferences. Supervisors asked questions about long‑term maintenance, staffing levels (the roads/recycling staff are down by roughly three full‑time positions), and options to hire part‑time or substitute staff to backfill absences.

Next steps: staff will continue monitoring the pilot installation through the curing period, pursue required signatures to close bridge projects, and schedule repair crews as weather allows.