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Highway department reports heavy winter operations, speed study and possible emergency repair on Highway 70
Summary
The Highway Department told the committee crews remain busy with winter maintenance, announced chainsaw safety training March 18–19, ran a speed study in the Town of Hunter that could support a 10 mph reduction, and said DOT labeled part of State Highway 70 as an emergency repair candidate.
The Sawyer County Highway Department told the committee it has continued ice and snow control operations across county and state routes and remains actively patching and brushing roads.
The department said crews have been working frequently to address winter conditions, that frost remains in the ground but is receding, and that road bans were put on March 5. The department announced it will host chainsaw safety training March 18–19 with multiple counties expected to attend.
Staff reported using a newly purchased traffic-counting device to conduct a speed study in the Town of Hunter on County Road S and Musky Tail. The device’s 85th-percentile reading suggests a speed-limit reduction of up to 10 mph could be supported; the department said it will bring the report to Public Works for future action.
On State Highway 70, the department said it filed a maintenance request to the state DOT for the stretch from Rison toward Price County. DOT indicated it would treat the segment from County Road Double G to Price County as an emergency candidate for a 2-inch mill-and-fill this year if approved; otherwise the work may be advanced to next year. County staff warned the road’s condition may not hold until next year and urged timely action.
Other items: the county secured an asphalt plant near the Sawyer–Washurn county border (near Double D) to reduce haul costs for an approximately 9-mile Afton D project; planning for a new highway facility in Hayward is on hold pending committee direction; and one driver/operator opening in Hayward attracted many applicants.
The department also reported submitting an application for a small-structure replacement on County Road W under a state program (rated a "three") and is hopeful lane-closure and load-rating details may improve its funding prospects.
The committee did not take action on these items; they were presented as operational updates and for future agenda consideration.
