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Steele County approves bids planning for chip-seal on roads 5 and 8, estimates up to $1M
Summary
County commissioners voted to proceed with bids to sealcoat about 25 miles on county roads (routes 5 and 8), with a presenter estimating $900,000–$1,000,000 and noting the state typically covers 90% of eligible costs under a grant program.
Steele County commissioners voted Feb. 3 to move forward with bidding on chip-seal (sealcoat) work for county roads 5 and 8, a roughly 25-mile package county staff said should be timed ahead of a likely 2027 state epoxy-paint grant.
A county/DOT presenter (Mike) reviewed a paved-road map and said the county had sealcoated several roads in 2016–17 and sealcoated 31 miles last year. He estimated that doing roads 5 and 8 — plus a few connector segments — would cost about $900,000 to $1,000,000 based on last year’s unit price of about $36,000 per mile. Mike noted the grant would likely be a 90/10 split, in which the state would fund roughly 90% and the county would pay about 10% of eligible costs.
Commissioners discussed timing: the presenter recommended aligning the county’s bid letting with the state’s March bid opening so contractors already mobilized in the region could tag on and potentially lower prices. Commissioners approved a motion by Perry, seconded by Brandon, to proceed with the work and pick a bid date timed to the DOT letting.
Commissioners also asked staff to consider adding the courthouse parking lot to the contract if it remains practical and to prioritize patching known problem spots (culvert/patch-induced humps) before sealcoating. Staff said striping could be added but that the county would pay for striping on non-federal roads.
The county will return with bid documents and a recommended bid date and anticipates awarding contracts at the April 7 meeting if bids are acceptable.
