Current Road Projects
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Grading and Road Maintainence (updated 2/25/07) |
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District 2 has 6 road graders; however, due to the shear numbers of bridges that we have been working on and because of the past dry conditions the grader operators have been spending more of their time on the bridge crew than in their graders. Since the past few snows and rains the grader operators have been working to get over their territory and fill in the ruts.
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The truckers have been hauling rock off and on this past month. The rock quarry has been down completely for the past two weeks and during the prior weeks the crusher was only working a portion of the time. Therefore, the truckers have been doing maintenance to their trucks as well as working in the shop doing other shop-required maintenance. |
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Damage to Roads from Ice Storm and Snow (added 2/25/07) |
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Late January and February 2007 brought some of the much-needed moisture in the form of snow and ice to Grant County. This has been great for the farmland but it has defiantly been a determent to the roads. There is a fine line as to when it is better to leave the ice on the roads or when it must be removed. Unfortunately, when the ice was completely removed it also removed the road material (rock, shale, or base). The only way to repair the damage is to start over – make a base and then add the finishing material. This takes lots of time and lots of money. It will be done but again, there are 682 road miles and over 100 miles were badly degraded, especially Renfrow Road, Wakita Road, Salt Fork Road, Stauffer Road, Tallyho Road, and all of 5-mile Road. |
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FEMA personnel came to Grant County mid-February to assess the damage. We do quality for damages, but as usual we do not know to what extent or how much they will actually help with the financial part. |
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Numa Road (updated 2/25/07) |
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The Numa Road Grant project covering 8 miles from Highway 11 to the Renfrow Road is basically finished. We lack a second layer on the first 2 miles going south from Renfrow Road. Once the rock quarry is back up and running these 2 miles will be finished. |
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As for the last 5-miles from Renfrow Road to the State Line, that is going to be on hold for right now. Remember, the rock grant only covered 8-miles from Highway 11 to the Renfrow Road. My plans were to finish the last 5-miles as Distsrict 2 funding allowed. I fully intended to do these immediately upon finishing the rock grant. However, the ice storm has required a change to the plan. Tallyho Road, Renfrow Road, 5-mile Road, and Salt Fork Road will take priority over the last 5-miles of Numa Road. I will NOT forget the last 5-miles to the State Line, most likely it will be delayed a year or so. It may take that long to rework the other higher priority roads..
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TallyHo Road (updated 2/25/07) |
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Due to time constraints on the 8-mile Numa Road Rock Grant, the TallyHo was put on the “back burner”. We lack approximately 1 ½ miles yet to put the shale on and pack in. We have not been able to access our shale pit due to the snow and rain. The pit holds water and has to be pumped out after each accumulation of moisture and then needs to dry out before digging in it. |
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Again, the shale that was laid earlier that has received rains is now a good road. And it will be a great road once the project is completed. |
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Also on NS 308 (TallyHo Road), beginning North of US Highway 11, several loads of shale and/or rock has been spotted in. Please drive slow as most of the new rock has NOT been packed. Remember the speed limit on all county roads is 45 mph unless otherwise posted, hard-surfaced (blacktop) roads are 55 mph. |
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Current Bridge Projects
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Bridge Maintainence and Repair (updated 2/25/07) |
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Since January 2005, District 2 employees have completely rebuilt 6 bridges putting in all steel pilings, caps, and stringers. Adding wing walls with sheet piling as needed. Additionally, two of these bridges have new 7” concrete tops with 2 layers of 5/8” rebar. These bridges replaced bridges that were built in the 1940’s and 50’s that were made of wood. These bridges lasted well beyond their years and now with them being made of steel that should last another 50 to 75 years. As I’m sure you are aware, steel is not cheap and it continues to rise in price.
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Additionally we have done major repairs to another 7 bridges, again using all steel for the pilings, caps, and/or stringers. Again, these repairs will last 50 to 75 years. |
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We continually are doing minor repairs such as replacing boards and run-strips. Please remember, our district has 162 bridges on our road inventory, which are bridges that are 20-feet and longer. All bridges fewer than 20 feet (such as old WPA bridges, driveway bridges, and small wooden bridges) are not on the inventory and we do not receive any state formula funding for these. However, we still are trying to keep them safe for you to drive over. |
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Bridge #400
From US Highway 81 on Wakita Road, go 6 miles east and 1 mile south |
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Once Bridge # 396 is finished we will move and finish this bridge. Presently, both ends of this bridge have been taken out. |
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Salt Fork Bridge #200 (updated 2/25/07)
Located at Salt Fork, Oklahoma |
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This bridge was a contract bid, financed with 80 % Bridge Replace (BR) funds and 20% County Bridge and Road Improvement Funds (CBRIF). The contractors finished the majority of the project this winter. They still are required to come in and sod the slopes and the ditches this spring when weather permits. District 2 will then finished up the right-of-way area, replacing 5-wire fences on both sides of the property as well as building water-flood-gates. |
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Mowing (added 2/25/07)
Mowing will resume when conditions allow. We traded in our two old wing-bat mowers the end of February 2007 and traded for two new mowers with full warranties. It was a “win” “win” situation, costing only $3500 per mower to upgrade and don’t forget the full warranty coverage. Anyone who has owned or has operated a mower knows they are a “high maintenance” piece of equipment.
Now that I have basically a “full crew” I hope to start mowing again in the next month and keep them running all summer. In January 2005 I had 16 employees, last summer I ran with 9 to 10 employees, right now I have 13 employees (See Meet the Staff). They are 100% employees cross-trained for manual labor, bridge crew, as well as all kinds of equipment operators. Also, remember, I am a WORKING COMMISSIONER, I will be out and working on roads such as running the Road Groom as well as working when and where necessary (as my schedule allows). |
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