McDonald County and MoDOT plan repairs to Dead End Lane after repeated flooding

McDonald County commissioners and Missouri Department of Transportation representatives agreed June 4 to move forward on repairs to Dead End Lane after repeated flooding eroded the roadway.

Presiding Commissioner Bryan Hall, Eastern Commissioner Jamey Cope and Western Commissioner Rick Lett met with MoDOT representative Marvin Morris and District Manager David Colf; Jessica Cole, the county clerk, is also recorded as present. MoDOT agreed to supply materials, haul trucks and drivers to support the repairs, while the county will be responsible for furnishing labor and soliciting bids to hire that work.

MoDOT officials said the repair plan may require up to 80,000 pounds of gravel to construct a retaining wall along the damaged section. The figure was presented as an estimate for materials planning and was not recorded as a final contract amount.

Commissioners discussed next steps for the county, including initiating the formal bidding process to secure labor for the project. The minutes do not record a formal vote or award at the June 4 meeting; they record the discussion and the agreement by MoDOT to provide material and hauling support.

MoDOT also told the commission it will send a historical engineer to inspect for any archaeological artifacts near Indian Creek and in the vicinity of a planned bridge replacement on State Highway H. That inspection was presented as a step MoDOT will take as part of project review; no findings were reported in the minutes.

The commission adjourned and is scheduled to reconvene on June 9, 2025. The minutes were signed and approved as recorded.