Road & Bridge urges cutting blading to two days a week amid spike in diesel prices

Road and Bridge supervisors told Seward County commissioners they are facing sharply higher fuel costs and recommended cutting regular blading from four days a week to two to avoid exhausting the department’s fuel budget. "Delivered to our shop is $3.69 a gallon for diesel, and $3.21 per gallon for gas," the Road & Bridge supervisor said, and estimated that operators use about 40 gallons of diesel per blade each day — "which comes out about 280 gallons a day" countywide.

The supervisor gave commissioners a budget projection: continuing a four‑day blading schedule would push fuel costs to roughly $215,000 for blading alone, and if the department burned fuel at last year’s levels it could reach about $300,000 for diesel at current prices. "If we burn as much fuel as we did last year, we'll be up to $300,000 just in diesel," he said. He proposed a two‑day weekly blading schedule as the only practicable way to stay within the combined fuel allocation of $2.70 per gallon (budgeted average), and said the department would return to more frequent blading once moisture or lower prices permit.

Commissioners asked how staff would use employees on non‑blading days and the supervisor said crews would maintain routes — picking up trash, cleaning culverts and mowing right‑of‑ways — to avoid idle labor. Commissioners also pressed for a prioritization plan: staff agreed to prioritize school routes and higher‑traffic roads and to re‑evaluate after rainfall or a change in fuel price. The board did not adopt a formal motion during the session but indicated consensus around the two‑day interim plan and asked staff to prepare any formal agenda item if a binding budget change or policy is required.