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Chair says town crews replaced drainage inlets, seeks grant for Old Hochatown Road after dust problems
Summary
Town Chair reported drainage and road repairs at Camp Branch, replacement of five damaged tin-horn inlets, and a grant application to mill and repave Old Hochatown Road (project estimate just over $500,000; town requested $125,000). Chair also said a dust-control compound recently used on Pinion failed and is producing large dust clouds affecting businesses.
Chair reported the town completed repairs on public connectors including Stevens Road and Aleutian's Soil Road and described ongoing work to control dust on Pinion, saying, "It's already creating gigantic clouds of dust, which our businesses over there are getting ground out by dust." Chair said crews will apply fresh material before the end of the week to compact the surface and reduce dust.
The board placed emphasis on drainage fixes at Camp Branch, where contractors replaced five tin-horn drainage inlets, cleared silt and vegetation and laid new material to reduce flood-related damage. "We laid all new material on top, built the structure over it as well, cleared out the drainage pathways so that way the road will stop from flooding over," the Chair said, describing the work as intended to stop recurring storm damage.
The Chair told the board the town submitted a grant application to mill and repave Old Hochatown Road. The project cost estimate returned at just over $500,000; the grant request filed was for $125,000. "The KEDO board is making their selection and approval of applications on October 16," the Chair said, and the town should hear back early next year if awarded.
The Chair said the town has paid about $119,000 so far on recent repairs and has accumulated invoices totaling about $139,000, with more invoices still expected. If the grant is not awarded, the Chair said the town will present multiple engineering options at the November meeting — including gravel, chip seal, asphalt or phased approaches — once master service agreements with engineering firms are in place.
Committee members discussed the grant process and county-level constraints. One committee member said county commissioners would be reluctant to reassign funds already spent on other projects, and another suggested continuing to track costs and pursue other funding options for Hochatown road work.
The report closed with the Chair saying the town will keep monitoring Camp Branch and present detailed options to the board in November.
