Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Road & Bridge director lays out Middle Creek schedule, options for Lake Road stabilization
Summary
Tom Kirk said rental equipment is reserved for Aug. 3 to finish Middle Creek Road work and then potentially begin a multi-option Lake Road project; he will provide cost estimates for three stabilization approaches (current chemical mix, emulsified-asphalt stabilization, and Portland cement treatment) for the Cherry Street–lake entrance segment.
Tom Kirk, director of the county Road & Bridge department, presented a multi-topic briefing that covered equipment leases, staffing, bridge inspections and a near-term schedule for major road projects.
Kirk told commissioners he reserved rental equipment for Aug. 3 to resume Middle Creek Road stabilization and chip sealing and urged finishing the project this summer. He said doing so creates an opportunity to begin work on a busy section of Lake Road and that doing multiple projects while the large equipment is on site reduces mobilization costs.
Kirk explained that Lake Road presents different engineering needs in different segments: sections with good drainage can be handled with the department’s current process, while flood‑prone areas and spots near river crossings may require a higher level of stabilization. He described three treatment levels he will cost out: the current soil‑chemical treatment the county uses, an emulsified‑asphalt soil stabilization that vendors report is more water‑resistant and durable, and a Portland cement treated base that is substantially more expensive but offers the highest resilience to water intrusion.
Kirk said some bridge inspections have moved certain structures into more frequent (annual) inspection cycles because of fracture‑critical designations and proposed hiring a second firm to perform off‑year inspections of six or seven fracture‑critical bridges. He asked for an updated "top 10" priority list of bridges that reflect county needs rather than the current countywide ordering.
Kirk also reviewed staffing: he said the crew count is approximately 12, with several retirements expected in coming months, and discussed the idea of a dedicated ditch‑cleaning crew and the equipment that would support it (mini‑excavators, skid loaders). He told the board he would return with concrete cost estimates for (a) the Cherry Street–lake entrance stretch for each of the three stabilization options, (b) the overall project budget if the board chooses to pursue deeper stabilization in flood‑prone sections, and (c) staffing or equipment changes tied to a ditch crew pilot.
Commissioners directed staff to proceed with the Middle Creek schedule (rental equipment Aug. 3) and asked Kirk to bring back the cost comparisons and a prioritized bridge list at the next budget meeting.
