Engineer: durapatcher to work Old Highway 2; resident raises concern about 'mushy' stretch

County Engineer Dillon Davenport told the board Aug. 5 that the durapatcher is working on main county highways and will then move to Old Highway 2 (West). Road crews are mowing shoulders and ditches, blading rock roads and hauling rock. Davenport said the contractor for the 245th Street bridge project is behind schedule but has begun some demolition work. A culvert-lining project for S40 & J46 was reported as scheduled to begin that week with single-lane traffic controlled by a pilot car. Davenport also said he submitted a bridge project application for the Bridge Improvement Program, noting approval is a two-step process at the state and then federal level.

During public comment Dr. Joel Wells raised concerns about "mushy conditions" on Old Highway 2 (West) and asked whether repair or replacement would be preferable. Davenport responded that full replacement of the road or a section was probably not an option at this time but confirmed the durapatch crew would work on the road before winter.

The minutes do not include cost estimates, engineering analyses, specific timelines for returning the bridge contractor to schedule, or a formal board directive beyond accepting the engineer's report.