Henry County Roads Department winding down construction season

The Henry County Roads Department is winding down their construction season and preparing for project letting this winter.

Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss feels comfortable with where the department is going into next year and confident they are on a good schedule, he said during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

The department has a letting date scheduled for a project with the railroad in December and the J20 bridge project letting in January 2019. Other substantial local projects will be let in January and February 2019, Hotchkiss said.

As construction work slows, maintenance crews are working on several crossroad pipes and ditching projects to prepare for winter. Iowa Bridge and Culvert opened 200th Street Monday, Oct. 29, and crews wrapped up erosion control on Tuesday. A contractor is continuing work on Benton Avenue south of Merrimac Road.

Last week, the Roads Department continued hauling spot rock to various locations throughout the county, worked on signs and mowed shoulders. Crossroad pipe was installed in Jefferson and Salem townships, minor ditching done in Jefferson Township and silt fence along Nebraska Avenue was removed

The department also took a first aid CPR training course, and later in the week a group was sent to Montezuma to a brush cutting show and brush prevention.