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Highway director warns bridge payment and fuel costs will squeeze next year's work plan
Summary
County highway staff told commissioners the Stone Church bridge payments and rising fuel/equipment costs will likely reduce next year's paving and chipseal miles and urged the commission to present a clear capital plan tied to the road-and-bridge levy.
The highway director told the commission he had planned several capital projects — including 9 miles of chipseal and continuing asphalt mill overlays — but said higher-than-expected bridge payments, equipment replacement needs and inflation could force the office to scale back.
He reported that, as of the end of June, about $463,000 had been billed on the Stone Church bridge project and that total payments might be closer to $600,000. That payment schedule, he said, reduces discretionary capacity for new pothole, paving and culvert work next year. Commissioners urged the department to publish a multi-year plan that ties road-and-bridge levy proceeds to specific projects so taxpayers can track outcomes.
"As of end of June, we're at 463,000, which I think we're closer to a 600,000 range now on payments on that," the highway director said when outlining capital pressures. He and commissioners discussed trade-offs between repairing older equipment and renting specialty machines for specific projects.
