Supervisors approve permanent vacation of 2 county roads, bridges

Henry County Supervisors approved the permanent vacation of two county roads pending the removal of bridges by the Roads Department.

A portion of 230th street in New London Township between Oasis Avenue and Nebraska Avenue and a portion of Kentucky Avenue in Jackson Township between 310th Street and Salem Road will be vacated. Adjacent landowners are in favor of the road vacations.

Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss said the department plans to remove the bridges on those roads as a winter project. Once the bridges are removed, barricades will be placed on the roads and the property will revert to the surrounding landowners.

Additionally, supervisors approved a letting date of Jan. 16, 2019 for repairs to a bridge east of Lowell on J-20. Construction will take place during the spring and summer of 2019.

This week, the Roads Department will start milling operations on Mediapolis Road, progressing to Mediapolis Road.

Iowa Bridge and Culvert will pour barrel section this week, weather dependent. They plan to close Benton Avenue starting the week of Oct. 15, weather dependent.

Hotchkiss hopes to reopen Gabriel Avenue next week if the forecast stays clear. Construction was delayed some because of rain and roads are taking more time to 'heal up” once crews are finished with construction because everything takes longer to dry this time of year, Hotchkiss said.

Last week, the department hauled resurfacing rock to Baltimore Township, continued seeding operations, worked on signs and worked on brush in various locations.