It will be a joint effort between the City of Hoisington and Barton County to repair a three-block stretch of Susank Road that runs along the eastern edge of that community.

The Barton County Commission Tuesday morning approved a bid from Venture Corporation of Great Bend for overlaying a portion of the road. The project includes that portion of Susank Road from K-4 north to the edge of the Hoisington Activity Center parking area, or Cheyenne Street, County Works Director Darren Williams said. Work includes milling the current traffic lanes, applying 1.5-inch of hot mix overlay, adjusting one manhole and placing temporary tape on the work service. Funds are available in the Road and Bridge fund for this project.  

However, there is more to that segment of the road than the north and south traffic lanes, Williams said. There is also a several-foot-wide strip running along the western side, between the road’s white line and the curb.

The city uses this for its trash trucks when they make their rounds, as well as for parking. Due to this heavy use, the shoulder is pockmarked with potholes and other cracks.

Last October, the Hoisington City Council approved a bid from Venture for $118,454 to fix this strip. This will involve removing the current surface, creating a six-inch concrete base and applying a five-inch layer of asphalt.

“That’s a pretty good chunk of money they are putting into this project,” Williams said. The shoulder was last repaired about 15 years ago, but this rehabilitation will make a much more durable fix.

The city work will be done this spring. After that, the county will do its part, he said.