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Commissioners approve highway five-year plan as rally-driven traffic, road wear and funding gaps draw scrutiny
Summary
Meade County adopted its DOT-required five-year highway plan amid debate over unprecedented rally traffic on Fort Mead Way, gravel use, and whether event organizers should contribute to road upkeep; the plan lists projects totaling roughly $27.1 million but commissioners acknowledged current funding covers only a portion of that total.
The Meade County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s five-year highway plan on Sept. 24 as staff described heavy rally-related traffic counts and maintenance strategies for high-use gravel roads.
Highway Superintendent Troy Eastman and assistant Nathan Jagam briefed the commission on traffic-count anomalies during the rally (counts in some segments reached thousands per day), heavy gravel-hauling this year (111,000 tons reported) and several test sections of base stabilization that performed better under heavy loads. Eastman outlined a prioritized project list that the county must maintain to preserve eligibility for state and federal grants.
Commissioners pressed whether the commercial campgrounds and rally events that generate the traffic should help offset local maintenance costs. "We've got the Mead County residents that are paying for the cost ... some of these campgrounds are making beaucoup bucks, and they're not contributing anything to the road other than paying property taxes," one commissioner said. Staff noted some campground owners have voluntarily paid for localized mag water or surface improvements, but no formal cost-recovery mechanism currently exists. Commissioners discussed haul agreements, certification for private flagging and whether an event tax or tolling mechanism is legally feasible; staff indicated the state attorney and further legal analysis would be needed.
The plan presented a total project list near $27.1 million. Commissioners emphasized the list is a grant-eligibility and planning document rather than a promise to complete every listed project without additional funding; they approved the plan and authorized the chairman to sign the certification necessary for DOT grant applications.
What to watch: whether staff pursues haul agreements, event-related cost-sharing, or state grant applications to cover high-impact, high-cost road maintenance tied to recurring rallies.
