County considers vacating road

MARENGO — Landowners along Y Avenue in southeastern Iowa County have made a low-water crossing that Iowa County Engineer Nick Amelon said can’t remain on a county road.

Amelon asked county supervisors last week what they wanted to do about it.

The bridge on southern Y Avenue has been out since about 2012, Amelon said. Three landowners in the area have made a low-water crossing. “I can’t leave it as it is,” said Amelon.

The county could vacate the level B road or create a low-water crossing, said Amelon. “If we put in some culverts and then some concrete we’re probably looking at 30 grand in materials.”

The secondary roads department would put in another $25,000 in labor for secondary roads, Amelon said.

Another option is to make it a C level road and put a gate up.

The road is about a half mile long, said Amelon. “We had only been maintaining about half way down.

Neighbors keep the road grassy so its passable, Amelon said. The county grades it about twice a year.

“Liability-wise, we can’t leave it like that,” said Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen. Supervisors asked Amelon to look into vacating the road.

“I can talk to the landowners,’ Amelon said.