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Commissioners adopt 6-year transportation plan, move slow-vehicle pullouts up in priority
Summary
Franklin County commissioners adopted Resolution 2026-227, approving the county—-year Transportation Improvement Plan (2027———2032) and the 2025 bridge report. After public testimony stressing roadway safety around slow-moving farm equipment, the board amended the plan to move a turnout/pullout from priority 12 to 8 before approving the plan.
The Franklin County Board of County Commissioners on July 1 approved Resolution 2026-227, adopting the county's six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for 2027 through 2032 and the associated 2025 bridge report. The board amended the TIP to accelerate a slow-vehicle pullout project, moving it from priority 12 to priority 8 after public safety testimony.
Multiple public commenters urged the board to prioritize turnout (pullout) projects to reduce crashes and risky passing around farm equipment. "If it saves a life, you know, I'm a first responder," said Andy Reavis, a local EMT and firefighter, describing seeing dangerous passing around slow-moving agricultural equipment and urging the county to consider turnouts for public safety.
Public works staff and commissioners discussed enforcement and design standards. Public Works Director Craig Erbman provided a standards and considerations document for slow-vehicle pullouts to the board and the administrator noted that the county could pursue a slow-traffic ordinance to aid enforcement. The board also discussed potential federal assistance (USDA) to help finance turnout construction.
After the public hearing, a motion to approve the TIP as amended to move the turnout project into priority 8 passed by voice vote. The board directed staff to prepare a standard design for pullouts so property owners or others could implement them to county standards.
