Another major step forward in county transportation is expected to be made this week, it was announced at Monday’s Barton County Commission meeting.
It’s expected that the Boyd Road curves will be reopened, possibly as early as Tuesday, which will mean that north-south transportation on county roads will be getting back to normal, as fall harvest continues.
According to a recent report from County Engineer Clark Rusco, the work is progressing quickly.
“The asphalt pavement has been completed. The earthwork subcontractor is bringing up the earth shoulder material to the elevation of the new pavement and grading the ditches and back slopes,” Rusco reported.
County Administrator Richard Boeckman added during Monday’s county commission meeting that Rusco had suggested the curves could be open today.
Rusco also reported that work is moving ahead with another part of the overall Boyd Road project. He reported that the “contractor has begun building false work forms for haunched slab” on the project to replace the bridge over the Walnut Creek on Boyd Road.
Rusco noted earlier that all of the work is important because Boyd Road carries so much north-south freight and agriculture traffic through the county, without having to use highways through communities.
The first step of this project was the restructure of the railroad crossing in Boyd, which was a major improvement in the busy road.
Another major rural transportation project that has been underway this summer involved the blacktop that services Barton County Community College.
Rusco also reported on that project, which has also impacted a great deal of country traffic. “The contractor has completed the entire asphalt pavement and the pavement markings are all that needed to be completed,” according to the county engineer. “The subcontractor for Venture completed the pavement markings Thursday,” he added.