Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Ringgold County engineer reports Jefferson 26 redesign and possible USACE wetlands delineation for Union 13 project
Loading...
Summary
County Engineer Jared Johnson told the Ringgold County Board on April 20 that the Jefferson 26 project profile was revised to reduce the footprint, but impacts outside the right‑of‑way remain; staff submitted a Section 404 application for Union 13 and said a wetlands delineation is likely based on USFWS mapping.
County Engineer Jared Johnson briefed the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors on April 20 on ongoing secondary roads work and permitting developments that could affect project timelines.
Johnson reported crews hauled spot rock to multiple maintainer districts (north central, southwest, southeast and south central), loaded scrap metal for transport to Leon Recycling, and deployed the sign truck to repair and replace downed or deteriorated signs. Crews repaired a large pothole at the west approach and deck of Ringgold County Bridge Clinton 6 and continued shouldering work with a tractor and shouldering disk to address edge ruts.
On project design, Johnson said the department revised the Jefferson 26 design profile to minimize impacts on the northwestern portion of that project. The revised profile was lowered significantly to reduce the project footprint, but he said impacts outside the current right‑of‑way could not be completely avoided; the revision will require a substantial amount of dirt to be wasted. The revised profile has been sent to LEB for review.
For the Union 13 project, Johnson said the county submitted paperwork to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a Section 404 permit. Based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland mapping tool, he said it is likely the Corps will require a wetlands delineation. The department solicited proposals from consultants to prepare the delineation and received a request for additional site photos from the Corps to support its desktop review. He also noted the county received notice that no Iowa DNR permits are required for the work as described to date.
Johnson said crews continued hauling rock for the Middle Fork 7 project. He also relayed guidance received from the Iowa Department of Transportation that wood poles must be located outside the clear zone and preferably outside the IDOT right‑of‑way or as close to the edge as possible.
The board received the update and recorded no additional formal direction beyond sending the Jefferson 26 profile for external review and responding to the Corps' photo request for Union 13.