Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Road Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
McPherson County approves road bids, authorizes projects and presses for required easements
Summary
Over 2023 the McPherson County Board accepted a $46,600 reclaiming bid for Prairie Trace Road, approved a 2,000‑ton gravel purchase at $36/ton, added multiple road projects to the county plan contingent on signed easements, and continued testing and planning for pulverizing asphalt on Soddy Road.
McPherson County commissioners spent substantial portions of 2023 reviewing road requests, accepting bids and updating the county road plan. In January the board accepted a Level LLC bid of $46,600 to reclaim approximately 1.1 miles of asphalt on Prairie Trace Road—pulverizing existing asphalt, integrating it into the subgrade, and regrading the road—contingent on using existing materials and no imported materials.
In February the board approved a Simon Materials quote for 2,000 tons of recycled base gravel at $36 per ton (total $72,000) to support road maintenance. Multiple resident requests for roadwork—Tupper Drive and 75 Waits Drive among them—were discussed; Highway Superintendent Tom Werblow and the county attorney advised that projects cannot be added to the road plan until required easements are signed by affected landowners. The Tupper Drive request has been delayed because one landowner had not returned a signed easement.
Through the summer and fall the board continued to evaluate pulverizing asphalt on flats for roads including Soddy Road. The board ordered material sampling and lab testing to inform whether to grind and reuse existing asphalt or to import stabilizing materials; commissioners discussed timing, contractor bidding and the use of Hanich Trust funding for the Soddy Road Safety Project. The board also authorized spot repairs, hauling of rock, and equipment maintenance as weather and season allowed.
The board recorded motions and votes accepting bids and adding projects to the 2023 Road Plan. Several administrative items that affect road operations were also adopted, including the 2023 Road and Labor Prices (RESOLUTION #2023‑1) and a $1.00/hour wage increase for eligible road employees. Commissioners emphasized the county’s need for signed easements before undertaking projects that cross private parcels.
The board will solicit sealed bids and evaluate additional contractor proposals before major pulverizing work proceeds.
