County engineer takes advantage of break in the weather

By BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

The Henry County Engineer?s Office has been able to make some headway on a few county road projects and hopes the weather holds so that work can continue.

?Franklin Avenue/W55 is closed to thru traffic right now. The contractor on the project completed the overlay portion of paving on Saturday, and is now working on shouldering the new overlay pavement,? said Jake Hotchkiss, Henry County Engineer, during his weekly update to the Henry County Board of Supervisors. ?Currently, the contractor is working steadily on getting everything south of the cemetery opened to traffic as soon as possible.?

In addition, Hotchkiss was happy to report that a county bridge project has also made some progress.

?The Marsh Avenue Bridge project is coming along,? said Hotchkiss. ?The grading subcontractor was able to do some work recently, but semi-wet conditions are hampering the process to an extent. It looks to be a fairly good week in terms of weather, so hopefully crews will be able to get in there and knock out a lot of work.?

Also taking place this week will be a countywide painting project. County crews will be painting edge lines on roadways this week and later into next week, eventually switching to centerlines.

Hotchkiss asks that drivers be cautious of crews out working and to use caution when entering into any type of roadwork zone.

Last week, the engineer?s office did check a minor project off their list. A crossroad pipe on Apple Lane, located on the northeast corner of New London, was replaced. On Friday, that same lane was finished out with new rock applied to it.

Besides road project updates, Hotchkiss did get approval from the board to sign a contract with Calhoun-Burns Associates, Inc., to design Ash Avenue Bridge over Rock Creek. He also gained approval for two Windstream permits for Franklin Avenue and Marsh Avenue.

Last from Hotchkiss was the approval of a resolution to award a county fuel contract to Agriland FS in the amount of $122,146.20 for a year?s supply of gasoline and $260,658.80 for a year?s supply of diesel and premium additive.

In other news, the board reviewed the following business items:

? Reviewed the Henry County Treasurer?s annual report and the Henry County employee annual wages report

? Approved the second reading of the general relief program ordinance amendment

The Zane?s Bend Subdivision was not discussed due an absence in the parties involved with the subdivision. If requested, the topic can be resubmitted to the board?s agenda for a later meeting.

The next Henry County Board of Supervisors will be Thursday, July 23, at 9 a.m., in the Henry County Courthouse.