Fed-funded work could still pave this fall

By CHUCK SMITH

County officials have moved another step closer to getting a federally-funded county roads project in the works yet this year, but weather conditions are going to have to improve if there is any action before next spring, according to County Engineer Clark Rusco.

While the project is federally funded, those funds run through the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Rusco reported that his office has “submitted the construction services agreement with KDOT for the 10th Street extended overlay project.” His staff has also “coordinated with KDOT final details for the project to be included in the KDOT letting.”

Recently, Rusco told the Barton County Commission that Venture Corp. has received the construction bid on the paving project, which is being paid for by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. County Administrator Richard Boeckman explained earlier that the county’s successful program was funded at $560,000. The Barton County project will fund an overlay of the county road — 10th Street extended, west of Great Bend — that runs from Patton Road to the west edge of the Expo grounds, west of Great Bend.

The project calls for a four-lane, two-inch overlay with a projected total cost of $700,000. The ARRA fund will pay $560,000 and a 20-percent county match will be included. It was explained earlier, the county share of about $140,000 will include $90,000 from an economic development fund and $50,000 from the Road and Bridge construction fund.

There are strict quality-control issues that have to be met for the project, however, and Rusco warned that if the weather continues unseasonably cold and wet, the paving work won’t be completed until conditions warm up next spring.

However, he added, the job could move forward yet this fall if the area returns to warmer conditions.

In other recent transportation projects, Rusco also:

• Met with officials from KDOT concerning reimbursements for Boyd Road Railroad crossing and bridge replacement projects.

• Met with the county’s bridge contractor to finalize agreement for replacement of the next four bridges.

• Met with a landowner concerning a flood plain Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) information for their property.

Met with a surveyor concerning Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) for a residential property.

• Met with a Gravel Road Maintenance Instructor to coordinate a future course. Road and Bridge Department will help with the one-day class.

• Attended an Upper Arkansas Basin Advisory Committee meeting in Garden City.

• Compiled information for Community Rating System (CRS) for flood insurance.