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County engineer outlines bridge erosion work, training and cost-saving road project
Summary
County Engineer Brandon told supervisors crews will attend excavation safety training, rent a specialized tool for rip-rap under bridges, and do an in-house box-to-steel replacement on Thrush that he estimated could save "a couple hundred thousand" compared with contracting.
County Engineer Brandon updated the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors on maintenance and near-term capital work planned for county roads and bridges.
Brandon said 12 county employees will travel to Franklin County for excavation and rigging safety training; external programs helped cover most costs, and Brandon said the county's share was $700. "So it's only cost us $700 to train people," he said. He added that if the training proves useful he may bring the trainer back to cover the remainder of the crew.
On infrastructure work, Brandon said crews rented a specialized tool to place rip-rap under bridges where repeated flooding has caused erosion. Dura Patchers crews are completing patching work; a refurbished crack-seal machine will be used for preventative maintenance once patching is done.
Brandon described a planned in-house replacement of a wooden box with steel tubes south of the bypass in preparation for a paving project on Thrush. He told the board doing the work internally will keep the project under the county's bid threshold and "probably save us a couple hundred thousand by doing it ourselves," while leading to a short road closure (three days to a week, weather dependent).
Supervisors raised concerns about motorists using unofficial gravel detours around the Rockwall/bridge work, which is accelerating dust and gravel degradation. Brandon said signs on the alternate route have been repeatedly damaged and that additional rock could cost in the tens of thousands; reimbursement by outside parties remains uncertain. He said he will continue exploring options to limit traffic on the unofficial detour.
Brandon also said he will bring plans and specifications for the Rockwell building to the board at the next meeting and recommended opening bids the Thursday before the board meeting to consolidate procurement and provide a bid tab for the board's review.
