County Roads department plans and promotes

MT. PLEASANT — Henry County Engineering and Roads Department moves forward planning for future and current construction projects, maintenance work, and promoting employees within the department.

County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss presented a resolution to the Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, May 16, asking they approve submitted a revised application for funding improvements through Southeast Iowa Regional Planning.

“So originally the project, we received funds from Fremont Avenue to just outside the city, Salem, for widening the shoulders,” Hotchkiss explained.

According to Hotchkiss, the project originally spanned a section of road from the intersection of J 20 north to 235th Street.

“Through inflation, extra costs, and everything else, we can't afford this big of a section,” he said.

The project will now end south of Skunk River Bridge on this section of road instead of 235th Street.

“And then eventually we'll pick up the north part later,” Hotchkiss said.

According to Hotchkiss, the project will cost approximately $3.9 million. Just under $2 million of these funds come from regional planning, $500,000 come from a safety grant, and the rest will come from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds.

Hotchkiss anticipates a January letting and beginning construction in the summer of 2024.

The board approved the resolution.

According to Hotchkiss, commuters should prepare for detours with the Lowell Hill and Ash Avenue projects.

“We've scheduled to start installing detour signage on the 22nd for Lowell Hill, then the road is to be closed on May 23,” he said.

Motorists will find Penn Avenue also closed to through traffic during this time.

“The pavement will be gone,” Hotchkiss said. “It will be a rock surface and whatever's there. And so if we have too much trouble with that we may end up having to do a hard closure at Penn Avenue and focus the locals to get out the people that live on the project to go north.”

Crews will begin placing signs for the Ash Avenue project Friday, but won’t put the detour into effect officially until Monday, May 22.

Last Monday and Tuesday, roads crews have continued working on gravel and checking roads for storm damage.

“Then we did replace a crossroad pipe on 310th Street,” Hotchkiss said. “Later in the week, we did do some more ditching on Lexington to try to finish up some stuff that we had stopped at last fall. And then we also did a tree removal on 323rd street.”

Crews also worked on seeding throughout the county.

Beginning July 1, Henry County Engineering and Road Department will promote two employees thanks to the approval from the county Board of Supervisors.

“Robert Quinn will be promoted to the position of Integrated Roadside Vegetation Manager (IRVM) Assistant,” Hotchkiss said.

According to Hotchkiss, Jeff Sloan is the county’s IRVM and Quinn has worked alongside Sloan for approximately three years.

With this promotion, Hotchkiss hopes to better establish positions which require pesticide applicator licenses.

Additionally, Hotchkiss asked the board to approve the promotion of Jerad Syfert to Maintenance Superintendent in light of Brian Yaley’s anticipated retirement at the end of June.

This promotion will create an opening for the assistant to this position which Syfert currently holds.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com