Harney County court hears public comments on proposed Andrews bypass, takes no action

Harney County Court held a public hearing in Andrews on a long‑standing proposal to realign East Steens Road and create an eastern bypass of the oldtown site. County road staff and residents discussed safety concerns, property impacts and funding; the court closed the hearing without taking a vote and said it will consult county counsel and return the matter to a future agenda.

The diversion proposal dates to 2007, when Ed Davis donated land and the county recorded a right‑of‑way and a court "legalization order" that set the alignment aside pending available funds, officials said. Road master Debbie Cronin told the court she had prepared an estimate that put the cost of the diversion itself at roughly $700,000 to $1,000,000; she cautioned the actual cost could be higher if rock and crews must be brought in from out of town.

"The estimate is probably low," Road master Debbie Cronin said, noting local crushing contracts and materials availability would affect final cost. Cronin also explained the county does not own the underlying property; it holds a road right‑of‑way or easement recorded in the county records.

County officials said Harney County has a separate federal grant to pave about 10 miles of road on the south end of the county in 2028. Staff warned that once that paving occurs the cost of constructing a bypass later could rise substantially; one commissioner said a bypass built after paving might cost "three to four million".

A participant speaking for property owner Paul Davis urged the court to approve the diversion on public‑safety grounds, saying, according to the participant, Davis "feels strongly that the diversion should happen because it's a public safety issue" and warned of potential future litigation if the county does not act. Other residents and some commissioners urged lower‑cost traffic controls instead — measures such as rumble strips, additional signage (including flashing 25 mph signs), and targeted enforcement by the sheriff's office.

"We do not have the money to do it," Cronin said when asked whether the county could pay for the diversion now. Court members agreed the diversion is not in the current county budget and that there is no immediate revenue stream to fund the project.

Landowners near Andrews told the court that moving the road would impose private costs — relocating wells, installing fencing and changing grazing access — and urged the county to provide clarity. One resident who said he had served as a first responder told the court, "there's never been a record" of a crash at the site in decades, arguing the safety justification is not clear.

County legal counsel and court members reviewed the 2007 legalization order and said the county has complied with its terms by surveying and recording the right‑of‑way; the order does not itself obligate the county to build the road without available funds. Commissioners discussed options including a formal resolution to decline further development of the 2007 alignment unless future court authorization is granted, but no motion or vote occurred.

The court closed the public hearing at 3:41 p.m. and said staff will consult county counsel, draft any required documents or options, and place the matter on a future county court agenda for formal deliberation. No final decision or vote was made at the field hearing.