County engineer details road repairs, project work and new speed-limit option

County Engineer Jared Johnson told the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors on June 9 that the secondary roads department has completed hauling granular surfacing to repair overtopped locations and is actively mowing vegetation, spraying noxious weeds and repairing signs and potholes countywide.

Johnson reported the crew cleared drift and debris from Ringgold County bridge Lotts Creek 16, conducted safety training on three points of contact while climbing, and continued patching potholes. A work order (W.O. 1462) to replace deteriorated twin 36" CMP culverts with a single 48" ADS culvert on 310th Street between 190th Avenue and P38 was completed; the culvert was armored with broken concrete revetment.

On project work, Johnson said the Jefferson 26 alignment was adjusted 4 feet over a 1,300-foot distance to avoid historically sensitive sites; IDOT reviewed the revision and forwarded it to the State Historic Preservation Society for a 30-day comment period. Preliminary delineation for the Union 13 project found wetlands only at the extreme southeast limits and estimated less than 0.01 acres would be impacted; the department proposed refining project limits to avoid all wetland impacts. At the Middle Fork 10 site crews completed piling operations, placed formwork on the east abutment and prepared for forecasted heavy rain; work is planned this week to form and pour the east abutment and begin work on the west abutment.

Johnson also reported that with no responsive bidders for the Poe17 project the county will proceed with construction using local forces and is procuring materials. He noted a new law taking effect July 1 that increases the default speed limit on secondary roads to 60 mph; the board may retain a 55-mph local limit only by adopting a resolution and by installing signage that differs from the state standard, which would incur additional cost.