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Scott County staff preview highway operations plan, pavement targets and upcoming overlay projects
Summary
County highway staff outlined a highway operations plan, said the operations budget is about $7.8 million, reported $814,000 in snow/ice costs for the 2024–25 winter, and reiterated a system pavement target (PCI) of about 72 while previewing major overlay packages and trail cost‑share policy.
County highway staff briefed the board on the highway operations plan under development, emphasizing pavement preservation, winter operations and coordination with cities on trails and maintenance.
Operations staff said the division runs on roughly a $7.8 million annual budget funded largely by state aid and levy dollars, with 24 staff devoted to roadside maintenance, snow removal and pavement preservation. They reported the 2024–25 winter produced 17 snow/ice events, used approximately 3,600 tons of salt and cost about $814,000 for response and materials.
On pavement, staff outlined a preservation lifecycle—from early seal coats and crack sealing to overlays and, when necessary, full reconstruction—and said about 10.8 miles of combined overlays and preservation work occurred in 2025. They noted nearly 300,000 line feet of crack sealing and multiple bridge inspections; staff also highlighted use of recycled millings for shoulders to reduce costs.
The county monitors pavement condition through periodic surveys (pavement condition index/PQI/PCI). The most recent complete public data set (2019/2023 cycle) put the county near a system average in the mid‑70s; staff said the county’s target is a PCI of about 72 and cautioned that the 2025–26 winter’s freeze‑thaw cycles could affect next reported results.
Staff discussed funding and the transportation sales tax, noting that major projects (including a larger County Highway 42 segment) are planned in future years and that commissioners will need to weigh overlay schedules, levy and sales‑tax priorities. They also described a policy that requires trails on both sides of county roads in urbanized areas with a 50/50 construction and maintenance cost share with cities.
Why it matters: Pavement condition, snow response and trail planning affect residents’ daily travel, county maintenance costs and multi‑year capital priorities. Staff presented decision tools (scenario modeling and a pavement‑prioritization assessment) intended to help the county maintain a steady PCI and align investments to high‑volume routes.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the highway operations plan in the coming weeks, provide updated 2025 pavement survey data when available and continue working with cities on trail gaps and cost‑sharing.
