Jefferson County Engineer talks upcoming road projects

FAIRFIELD – Jefferson County Engineer DeWayne Heintz briefed the board of supervisors on the road projects the county is planning in the coming years during the board’s meeting on Monday morning, July 8.

Heintz spoke about five Farm to Market roads in particular that will receive new chip and seal, totaling about 16 miles. He said the roads will go out to bids in 2025, and will likely be finished in 2026. The roads are:

Heintz said this section of Old 34 is the original road built in the 1920s, and Jefferson County is chipping and sealing its portion of the road in conjunction with Henry County, which is doing chipping and sealing on its portion at the same time. Heintz said the two counties are working together so they can get a better bid by making the project larger.

Chipping and sealing is a good way to preserve the life of roads with little traffic, Heintz said. He said the state doesn’t usually use chip and seal on the interstate because its heavy snow removal equipment damages the surface.

“Chip and seal is not nearly as widely used as I thought, but it’s a very good low-volume traffic pavement, especially if you have decent substructure,” he said. “In northern Iowa, where they get more snow, it’s not as popular. But down here in southern Iowa, it’s a valid pavement maintenance strategy.”

Heintz explained that chip and seal prevents moisture from reaching the road’s subgrade, which is what really damages the pavement.

Other projects that Heintz said the public should know about include the replacement of Libertyville Road bridge between Fairfield and Libertyville, just east of the quarry. This project will be bid in August, then preliminary work will begin this fall before the bridge is completely closed starting next February or March. It will then be closed until about October of 2025.

While the bridge is out, traffic will be instructed to take the detour on Hemlock Avenue north of Libertyville to Business 34, a detour of about 1 mile. However, Heintz noted there is a weight limit on one of the bridges along this route, so heavy vehicles like loaded semis or certain farm implements will need to take a 10-mile detour going south or west out of Libertyville to get to Fairfield.

Heintz said there is another project he is hopeful will come to fruition, and that is paving the gravel road Butternut Avenue from 125th Street west of Packwood all the way to the railroad tracks north (about 3.8 miles), so that residents will no longer have to drive on gravel to get to Pekin schools. U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks included that section of road in a federal spending package that is awaiting approval from the full U.S. House of Representatives. If approved, Heintz said he plans to have that project let in July 2025.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com