Staff writer
Marion County Commission received two revelations Monday from Kirkham Michael engineer Jon Riggins and APAC representative Dean McDaniel.
Riggins informed the commission that the eight-mile 330th Road project was scheduled to begin in earnest May 21; that much they knew. He also told them that a worst-case scenario for the 30th, 60th, and 40th road projects was a starting date of Sept. 15.
“I’m not happy with it,” commissioner Randy Dallke said. “We were hoping by mid-September it would be done; 40th and 60th are school roads.”
The reason for the long gap, McDaniel explained, is that asphalt is being mixed in two separate plants for the different locations. The Tampa road project asphalt will be mixed in Abilene. The southern road projects will have their asphalt mixed in Newton.
“It doesn’t take them that long to drive down there,” Commission Chairman Dan Holub said.
Commissioners were universally concerned about fall weather interrupting progress on the roads. APAC representative Jim Ralston said the company plans to begin work on the roads as soon as possible, however he would not agree to a Sept. 30 deadline for the project proposed by Dallke.
“When project was bid the late start date was Sept. 15,” Ralston said. “That would be changing the game now.”
The other new development for the road projects was the suggestion by APAC to use a spray paver to apply asphalt. McDaniel said applying the tack and asphalt simultaneously will aid the longevity of the road. However, with estimates at the meeting, Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Crawford said it would cost the county about $51,000 extra. The commission agreed to try spray paving on 330th Road first before approving it for the other roads.
“It would have been nice to know,” Holub said. “It’s like getting your car and finding out the tires are extra.”
The Tampa road project is off to an inauspicious start. APAC put down 2,000 tons of asphalt as a base layer but the base layer did not match the quality of asphalt demonstrated in a test strip, Riggins said. He said it was 85 percent of what was tested, which is good enough for the base of the small section. APAC will take a pay cut for the lower quality section.
In other business:
- A fuel bid for 6,550 gallons from Hillsboro Cooperative Grain and Supply for $21,857 was approved. The other bid was from Cardie Oil for $22,017.
- The commission approved $183,000 from a federal fund exchange grant to be used toward rock for 10 miles of Remington Road and 10 miles of 30th Road.
- Crawford submitted a bid for striping for 330th Road. Midwest Striping Company offered a bid of $27,786. The commission asked Crawford to look into acquiring a striping machine from another county, either by lease or purchase. The cost per gallon submitted by Midwest Striping, $15.61 per gallon of white or yellow paint, includes labor cost.
- The city of Peabody agreed to pay the county $8,675 for work on Peabody Street.