Nelson County officials outline winter road operations, bridge repairs and rising salt costs

Nelson County Judge Executive Tim Hutchkins told WBRT listeners that county road crews are working through winter conditions and managing a slate of bridge repairs and a recent bypass opening while urging patience from residents.

Hutchkins said the county road department is responsible for about 360 miles of county roads and runs eight tandem trucks plus four larger pickups with salt spreaders. "We have 360 mi of roadway that Nelson County Road Department is responsible for," one host explained during the broadcast, a point Hutchkins reiterated when discussing route sequencing and staffing constraints.

Officials described the county's winter strategy: use cold‑mix asphalt as a temporary patch in winter, then mill and permanently repair pavements in spring and summer when plants resume operations. They emphasized that chip‑seal and gravel roads cannot be salted because salt breaks down the chip‑seal binder and can turn the surface to mush.

Spalding and Hutchkins also urged caution on a newly opened Boston bypass, which they said lacks street lighting at some intersections. Hutchkins said the bypass opened recently but that final intersection lights and the 245 intersection remain incomplete, advising drivers to use caution when the route is new.

On bridge repairs, Spalding provided timelines: Stevens Lane (a county road in the Bloomfield area) is roughly three weeks from reopening after abutments and a deck cure period; Sullivan Lane will close beginning Dec. 12 for deck replacement and likely reopen in January. Both projects were funded through the County‑City Bridge Improvement Program, Hutchkins said, and the county is notifying schools and emergency services about alternate routes.

Salt costs and equipment were a focal point. Officials said current salt pricing is about $122.50 per ton if the county must buy this season; Hutchkins noted the county paid roughly $88,000 on salt last winter and had previously spent more when markets moved. The county lacks brine pretreatment equipment used by some neighboring jurisdictions and therefore cannot prebroadcast brine on all routes; officials said brine is most often used on high‑traffic roads, not across every rural lane because of cost and equipment limits.

Hutchkins asked for patience from residents, explaining crews follow a planned route pattern and it can take a 10–12 hour day to reach the far ends of the county on a major snow event. He encouraged people to call the county number (the program provided the county call/text line) to report urgent hazards and said the road department will follow up where appropriate.

The county also reminded listeners that some roads are state or city maintained; several callers highlighted potholes on city streets near shopping areas and were directed to the appropriate maintenance jurisdiction.

What comes next: officials will issue public notices ahead of planned bridge closures and road work, and will continue to prioritize safety and equipment deployment while monitoring salt usage and purchasing to manage costs.