Another season of county road improvements are underway, thanks to the mild weather that has already arrived this spring.
Barton County Road and Bridge Department Manager Dale Phillips noted that several projects are already in the works, including asphalt work on NE 160 Avenue, east of Ellinwood. “With 12 hours of asphalt zipper time, crews utilized 632 yards of last year’s asphalt mix,” Phillips reported.
The crews also have worked on trash and silt removal from bridges to including those on West Barton County Road and NW 110 Avenue. 
“Other bridge work included a rebuilding, to include shoulder repair, of a wood bridge west of Heizer and placing rip rap under a bridge NW 40 Road,” Phillips noted.
Other recent projects have included:
• Repair work to correct erosion on the Walnut Creek drainage structure on NW 10 Avenue.
• Crews installed 21 culverts, as well as the installation or repair of 11 culvert drives.
• Assisted Great Bend Township with culvert cleaning.
• Ditch work was done on NE 160 Avenue just south of NE 10 Road and north of NE 20 Road on NE 160 Avenue.
Also this week, the Barton County Commission approved lubricant bids for the department, continuing with Besthorn Oil and Gas Services of Claflin with a bid of $25,157. Also, the Claflin firm will perform more than 300 oil samplings at no charge, Phillips reported.