Engineer says work on 220th Street is progressing nicely

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Action was scant at Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting. County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss?s weekly report was the only discussion item.

Hotchkiss updated the board on activities of the secondary roads crew and construction projects.

He said the 220th Street project is progressing. The project includes the removal of six miles of existing pavement and repaving the road from the U.S. Highway 218 overpass to Racine Avenue.

?Eight cross pipes have been completed and the pavement crushing operation has moved one-fourth of a mile beyond Quaker Avenue,? the engineer reported.

A second pavement crusher was added to the project Monday and is located near Nebraska Avenue.

With planting season beginning, Hotchkiss said steps are being taken to accommodate farmers along the stretch of road.

?We are keeping the public advised and so far, they have been good,? he said. ?I know there were some inconveniences last week for farmers.?

Faulkner?s Access, a road-modifying project began last fall, is nearly finished, Hotchkiss said. ?We?re close to wrapping up the project and want to get the road opened for the public to use now that the weather is nice.?

The fill dirt is completed in the area and black dirt is now being spread on the road. Weather permitting, rock will be placed on the road in a few days.

Hotchkiss said he feared the rain forecasted through Thursday might put a damper on construction progress this week.

Secondary roads employees, last week, worked on an entrance and ditching on Penn Avenue south of Highway 78; worked on various ditching projects in the county; cold patched various locations; and began permanent seeding operations on Benton Avenue.

In other agenda items, the supervisors reviewed the sheriff?s quarterly report and the Henry County Employee Handbook and Policies.

The board will meet again in regular session on Thursday at 9 a.m., in the Henry County Courthouse.