County engineering updates: Veterans Parkway investigation, Kettle Creek widening and Riverside Bridge planning

County engineer Clay Phillips updated the commission June 4 on multiple road and bridge projects across St. Clair County, highlighting three items commissioners said they will consider for upcoming agendas and budgets.

Phillips said paving crews recently finished work in the Camp Winnetowska area and are moving to Show Creek/Journey's Inn and Old Coast City/Watzville; the base crew has been assisting with debris‑removal access on Wool Creek. For Kettle Creek Road, he described a safety‑widening project in planning that will add two‑foot paved shoulders and rolling strips to reduce lane‑departure crashes and expected to reach a construction milestone by Sept. 30.

On Veterans Parkway—the new portion completed in 2024—Phillips described rutting and persistent wet conditions on the newer segment. "So, we need to investigate what's going on with the road bed," he said, requesting a Terracon proposal for coring and subsurface analysis estimated at $20,000 to determine remediation needs and inform next year’s special project budget.

Phillips also reported progress on a Riverside Bridge replacement effort. He said the original design firm is preparing a proposal for full design, environmental review and planning to support pursuit of construction funding. The multi‑jurisdictional bridge program was sponsored by Lauderdale County; Phillips said St. Clair County owes Lauderdale $3,354 for engineering work to date and recommended approving that payment to allow Lauderdale to submit the construction grant application.

Commissioners asked staff to provide lists of specific bridges covered by the multi‑county application and directed the payment to appear on the regular meeting agenda for formal approval.

Next steps include adding the Terracon proposal and the Lauderdale reimbursement to a future consent or action agenda and refining timelines and budget impacts for the Kettle Creek widening project.