County engineer warns some pavements may not be safe at new 60 mph statutory limit

JD King, Peach County Engineer, told the Page County Board of Supervisors on June 23 that the recent statutory change raising the speed limit from 55 to 60 miles per hour has prompted concern among county engineers about pavement safety. "We have some pavements that I do not believe are safe at 60 mile an hour. I'm not sure they're safe at 55," King said, summarizing a recent statewide Zoom meeting of county engineers.

King outlined several ongoing maintenance and equipment items for Page County: blades are out in districts hauling rock; a spray patcher is running on M-56 (H Road); the pipe crew inspected D Avenue where excessive water is running through tiles and the county will wait for drier conditions before diverting water; ditch cleaning is needed on V Street and 290th following seasonal rains. He said the county's sign truck finally arrived in Clarinda after more than two years and that the county-owned John Deere mower is awaiting parts while routine pickup maintenance is underway.

King also announced a pre-construction meeting for J53 base-stabilization and seal-coat work scheduled for Thursday at 10:00, and said project development continues on the Yorktown project and several bridge efforts. He told landowners to expect archaeology and wetland delineations as part of federal-aid requirements on those projects.

King said the speed-limit topic will require local discussion and follow-up with other engineers; he noted a conference for county engineers scheduled for July 9 in Ames. The board did not take action on speed limits at the meeting; King said the matter will be discussed at a future time.