Dogwood Avenue grading project begins

RUBIO — Washington County closed an unpaved portion of Dogwood Avenue north of 295th street on Monday to through traffic as construction began on a major grading project near McKain’s River Access.

The work will involve placing fill material that will convert a low railroad overpass to an at-grade crossing, according to a news release from the county.

Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius said in a statement that the work represented “The next phase in completing a long-term project to provide another paved road corridor over the Skunk River that will improve travel in the southwest part of the county.”

The County Engineer has previously called the coming roadwork “one of the largest, if not the largest, overall road improvement project Washington County has undertaken.”

The county has hired a contractor for the work, DeLong Construction, which anticipates working on the stockpiled portion of the contract for “as long as they can, weather permitting,” according to the county. The cost of the project, a part of Washington County’s five-year road plan, is just shy of $910,500.