(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles updating Barton County government projects for 2011.)

Improvements to rural transportation were an important part of the county efforts in 2011, as County Engineer Clark Rusco noted in his recent report about his department’s accomplishment for the past year.
He explained that road improvement projects were a high priority for the Engineering Department.
He noted the department, “applied for and received funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s High Risk Rural Road program for the extension of reinforced concrete boxes on three corridors in Barton County. 
“The only corridor to not receive funding was the road north of Pawnee Rock. 
“There were 44 projects submitted for the $15 million of grant funds. 
“Barton County received funding for $600,000. 
“These projects will be let by KDOT in November, 2013 and have a 90/10 cost share. 
“The construction engineering services for this project will be the responsibility of engineering department. 
“KDOT will reimburse Barton County at a 90/10 cost share.”
Bridge work was also an important issue for the county in the past year, including the project that was finalized by the Barton County Commission this week.
Rusco explained that his department had “submitted and received an off system bridge replacement grant from KDOT for the replacement of a riveted steel truss bridge located east and south of Great Bend. 
“There were 59 applications for the $27 million of grant funds available and twelve projects were selected. As the off system bridge replacement program may not be funded in the next federal highway budget, the county was fortunate to receive the funding.”   
And the department’s work on the Ellinwood and Radium Road bridges was another important project for 2010, Rusco reported.
“The Arkansas River bridges at Ellinwood and Radium Road were examined with ultrasound equipment and one pin had failed in the Radium Road bridge. 
“The failure of the pin in the pin and hanger assembly required shoring of the bridge by Road and Bridge until repairs can be completed in 2012. 
“Several other pins examined in both bridges showed signs of deterioration but had not failed completely.
“The existing pin and hanger assemblies will be removed and a different type of expansion joint assembly will be installed. 
“Annual pin and hanger inspections are required until the new expansion joint assemblies are in place,” the county engineer reported.