County engineer's first major project is successful

By MEGAN COOPER

Mt. Pleasant News

The first major project for the Henry County engineer was a success.

During Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting county engineer Jake Hotchkiss informed the board that his first major project since he?s been engineer went well.

The project (project 86) took place on 195th Street and the engineer and his crew had to replace a culvert. It was a week-long project that required the closure of the road beginning Tuesday.

?It was a busy week and we got a lot of work done,? Hotchkiss said to the board. ?The project on 195th Street with a success and we got through it. We did have some trouble because of the rain Tuesday, but I really appreciate all the work the guys did and getting that road opened back up. It?s the biggest project we?ve done locally since I?ve been here and the guys are doing a great job.?

According to the engineer, his goal was to have the road (195th) opened again by last weekend and because of the great work of his crew, it was opened on time.

?We opened 195th Street to traffic on Friday and it was the goal we had,? said Hotchkiss.

The engineer was also busy last week with blading of roads, hauling of rock and completing small ditching projects.

?On Monday we did some rock hauling with River Rock Products to finish out our contract with them,? discussed Hotchkiss. ?We finished in Jefferson Township and moved to Scott Township. We also worked on a crossroads south of J20 on Dakota Avenue where it was having some drainage issues.

?On Tuesday, we did more rock hauling and worked on 195th Street, we actually closed the road on this day,? said Hotchkiss.

The engineer said that on Wednesday, some blading projects occurred and a ditching project on Hickory Avenue.

?We also continued work on project 86 on Wednesday,? said Hotchkiss. ?On Thursday we did some blading, hauling contract rock, which we finished, and worked on project 86. We cleaned up some ditches that needed it and tried to beat the rain that was forecasted for Thursday night, but it never came, so that was good. We got all the dirt moved from project 86 on Thursday as well.?

Friday, according to the engineer, was time to clean up project 86 and put rock down, so the crews could get the road opened for the weekend.

?We also worked on a Cass Avenue ditching project Friday,? said Hotchkiss. ?We have some disputes there that we will take care of later on.?

After discussing his busy road maintenance work week, he discussed the Oasis Avenue bridge project and a low-water crossing project with the board.

?The contractor for the Oasis Avenue bridge project poured some of the encasements for the bridge last week,? said Hotchkiss. ?Some of the rain held them up and hopefully he finishes that up this week. Once he does finish those he should be out of the water and so that?s good.

?With the low-water crossing project we have coming up, I have met with the landowners and we are ready to go,? explained Hotchkiss. ?We are just waiting on the permit to come back and then I can get a final estimate on the project.?

The engineer also completed a survey on 150th Street, one mile west of Highway 218 and two miles east of Highway 218, and is working on the design for that upcoming project.

?I need to get together with landowners because of some of the driveways and drainage issues so I know what?s going on,? said Hotchkiss. ?I?m hoping to have a bid-letting by July 2 for the two miles east of Highway 218, the other one mile (west) I am hoping to do ourselves.?

During the meeting, the engineer also:

Informed the board that the dust control application started today (Tuesday) and should be done by the end of the week.

Had the board approve a permit for Windstream for a utility permit so Windstream could place a cable for an individual. There was a defective cable, and this was in the back of the right-of-way, because of culverts in the area. ?I?m okay with the distance and where they are going with that,? said Hotchkiss.

Had the board approve two more dust control permits, which are being done by the individuals themselves.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet again in regular session on Thursday, May 15, at 9 a.m. in the board room at the courthouse.