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Des Moines County approves 2027 secondary roads budget and five‑year construction program
Summary
After a lengthy presentation, the board approved the 2027 IDOT secondary roads budget and a five‑year construction program that prioritizes Pleasant Grove Road paving, bridge replacements using federal grant funds, and a countywide intersection solar‑lighting rollout. The plan includes several large, later‑year projects and carries uncertainty tied to bid pricing and available local match funds.
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the 2027 IDOT secondary roads budget and a five‑year construction program after a detailed presentation by the county’s secondary roads presenter, Brian. The plan prioritizes a near‑term paving segment on Pleasant Grove Road, a bridge replacement in the Beaverdale area that is part of a federal bundle expected to cover about 80% of construction costs, and a multi‑year program to install solar intersection lighting at paved‑to‑paved junctions across the county.
Brian told the board the immediate paving project came in roughly $1.5 million — below earlier estimates of $1.9–$2.0 million — and said that competitive concrete pricing elsewhere in the region is allowing the county to stretch its local dollars. "That savings from competition will be crucial for us to do the next phase of [Pleasant Grove Road]," he said, explaining that contractor availability and Department of Transportation projects up north will influence competition and final pricing.
On bridges, Brian said Des Moines County was included in a federal grant bundle that covered 33 structures and yields an 80% grant share for eligible projects. "We're gonna get to take advantage of about $1,000,000 give or take of outside federal grant dollars into this county," he said, adding that the county’s 20% match would come from the farm‑to‑market account. He described the Beaverdale bridge replacement as a chance to remove a posted, high‑traffic structure "that there was no way we were replacing anytime soon" without grant support.
The five‑year program also includes intersection‑lighting work, focused on paved‑to‑paved intersections, with 12–13 lights planned this summer and a multi‑year rollout thereafter. Brian said typical installed costs are roughly $12,000–$15,000 per site and noted supply lead times (six months for poles) in scheduling installations.
Board members pressed on bid risk, timing and how projects would be sequenced if estimates change. Brian said he will continue design and right‑of‑way conversations with landowners and that final bidding decisions will be made closer to the construction season after staff confirm finances and market conditions. "I won't make a 100% guarantee it's getting bid," he said, "I will make sure I'm comfortable with the overall finances in all directions, combined with the dynamic in the construction market before I ever put something out."
Votes at a glance
- Approved: 2027 IDOT secondary roads budget and five‑year program (motion moved and seconded; board voted to approve following the public hearing). - The board thanked staff for maps and outreach and directed staff to proceed with the schedule and design tasks described during the presentation.
Context and why it matters
The plan sets priorities for pavement and bridge work countywide and links local investments to available federal grant funding. For projects bundled by the DOT and grant partners, the county's 20% match can unlock significant federal dollars and accelerate replacements of posted or functionally deficient bridges; conversely, the county’s constrained local budget and volatile bid environment mean final project scopes could change.
Provenance
This article summarizes the public hearing and the board’s approval as presented in the transcript from the initial program briefing through the board motion and vote (topic intro: SEG 511; topic finish: SEG 2176).
