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County to apply for $19.8M EPA grant to pave nearly 9 miles of dirt roads in High Ridge Estates
Summary
Clay County staff will submit a $19.8 million EPA Community Change Grant application to pave about 8.94 miles of rural dirt roads in High Ridge Estates; commissioners discussed high per‑mile costs driven by under‑drainage and base work and approved moving forward with documentation and photos to support the competitive application.
Clay County staff asked the board for approval to submit a $19.8 million EPA Community Change Grant proposal to pave dirt roads in the High Ridge Estates community; the board approved the request.
Grants staff said the project budget of $19,800,000 would allow approximately 8.94 miles of work after accounting for extensive under‑drainage and base construction needed to bring sugar‑sand roads to county standard. Staff highlighted that the paving cost estimate—roughly $2 million per mile—reflects significant subsurface stabilization, not just surface paving, and that a 20 percent contingency is included to manage unanticipated site conditions.
Commissioners discussed cost drivers and the need to document current conditions (photos and narrative) to make the competitive case that these are historically underserved roads with low‑to‑moderate income residents. Several commissioners noted the unit cost appears high to a lay reader but accepted staff—s engineering explanation that base and drainage work drive the price tag.
What happens next: Staff will finalize the grant application, include photographic evidence of existing road conditions and submit by the Nov. 21 deadline. If awarded, the project would be phased to address priority segments first.
