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Sioux County prioritizes Montrose Bridge replacement as residents press for more road maintenance
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Summary
The Sioux County Board of Commissioners prioritized the Montrose Bridge replacement and accepted the One- and Six-Year Road Plan, while residents at a public hearing urged faster, more consistent road grading and maintenance across several rural routes.
The Sioux County Board of Commissioners has made replacement of the Montrose Bridge its top road priority while also adopting the county’s One- and Six-Year Road Plan after a public hearing that drew multiple complaints about deteriorating local roads.
Commissioner Joshua Skavdahl told attendees that “the Montrose Bridge is a priority right now, and we will do everything possible to get as many worked on as funds allow,” after the March public hearing where residents asked for work on Watson, Evergreen and East Hat Creek roads and urged a commitment to northeast-county routes. The board voted to accept the One- and Six-Year Road Plan, listing Montrose Bridge and armor-coating Henry and Morrill roads in the one-year plan and a set of additional roads for the six-year plan.
Road Superintendent Gary Thayer provided recurring updates across the year on the bridge project: bids were opened in May, bridge removal was scheduled for June 18, 2018, the superstructure was ordered and expected in mid-September, and project start and completion windows were repeatedly updated by the fall. The board approved the Federal Lands Highway Design Standards for the Montrose Bridge replacement.
Residents used the public hearing and subsequent meetings to press for more consistent grading and more aggressive maintenance. Dale Wickersham said the road conditions were “detrimental to me and others on the road” and complained that water and washouts made access difficult. Mike Corbin said a blade had been present only for patching work and suggested the road foreman lacked organization; Slim Reece recalled that “when I worked for the county we graded 10 miles of road a day” and asked why similar output could not be achieved today. Monte Hamaker urged better planning and criticized what he described as excessive deadheading of equipment.
Road Foreman Gordon Mathis and Thayer answered questions on resource constraints and equipment availability. On several occasions the board and road department discussed options to replace or repair a damaged blade, including whether to trade the damaged unit, purchase a replacement, repair the current blade using insurance proceeds, or advertise for a blade; the board in May decided not to purchase a new blade immediately. Mathis also reported training employees on equipment operation and noted staffing and scheduling choices intended to maximize use of moisture windows for grading.
The One- and Six-Year Plan recorded maintenance and capital items: one-year priorities included Montrose Bridge and armor-coating of Henry and Morrill Roads; the six-year list named Watson Road, Cut Across Road, Wheeler Road, Henderson Road and Franklin Road. The board authorized adding Henderson and Monasmith bridges to the county inspection list.
Next steps: construction milestones and mobilization remained subject to contractor schedules and funding availability. The board continued weekly or monthly updates through the fall as bridge components were delivered and site work proceeded.