By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A Wichita construction company plans to operate a rock quarry in the northeast section of the county.

Bergkamp Construction intends to have a quarry near the intersection of 290th and Zebulon Rds. open by fall.

The company also operates two quarries in Butler County.

Scott Bergkamp and Gerald Gilkey of Bergkamp Construction told county commissioners Monday that the company will assist with road maintenance because of the anticipated heavy truck traffic on roads leading to the quarry.

Bergkamp said trucks will be traveling west to US-77 to haul away rock from the quarry. He anticipates dust being the worst problem the traffic will create.

“We will sink a well on the property; I don’t want to be a bad neighbor,” Bergkamp said. “It’s to our benefit, too, to have that be a good road.”

The well will provide water to spray on 290th from the quarry west to reduce dusting.

Commissioners were interested in seeing the quality of rock produced by the quarry with the idea that its location might save the county money on rock hauling. Most of the rock bought by the county comes from a quarry in Florence and the new quarry will make the drive shorter for rock needed in the northern portion of the county.

Commissioner Randy Dallke said he’s interested in having sand available at the quarry, and Bergkamp said that won’t be a problem.