Henry County crews advance road and bridge projects

MT. PLEASANT — Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss told the Board of Supervisors Thursday, Oct. 2 that county road crews are pressing ahead with several maintenance and construction projects aimed at improving road safety and infrastructure before winter.

Hotchkiss said operators have been focused on shoulder maintenance and rebuilding granular shoulders along paved roads, including work on Old Highway 34 and 520th Street. He noted that bridge repairs on 162nd Street are also moving forward, with crews reinforcing pilings to extend the bridge’s life. The county expects to finish that project within the next week, weather permitting.

In addition to roadwork, crews completed a ditching project near Salem to improve water drainage and have turned their attention to mowing and brush control.

Mowing along paved roads is nearing completion, while gravel road mowing has wrapped up. The county has also begun clearing overgrown brush with a rented skid mower equipped with a flail attachment in areas that can’t be easily managed by traditional mowers. Some of these areas include Natural Way and Goodyear Road.

Hotchkiss said the county plans to use the rented equipment for about a month to evaluate its effectiveness. By renting the machine temporarily, the county can determine whether it’s worth purchasing or continuing to lease for future maintenance seasons.

This is just one of the ways Hotchkiss is working to improve roadside maintenance efficiency and reduce long-term labor costs, while maintaining safer, cleaner right-of-ways.

The engineer said the bridge project on 235th Street continues to progress, with the deck expected to be poured in mid-October.

“Those are good signs for us,” said of the timeline for pouring.

He further noted that construction will likely continue through the winter on this project.

Hotchkiss also updated supervisors on other county matters, including the finalization of courthouse evacuation maps prepared by county staff. Most departments have already provided feedback, and the maps will be distributed once all responses are received.

His office issued two right of way permits this week — one allowing a paved entrance along Jewel Avenue and another for an overhead utility service on 170th Street. He added that requests for new fiber-optic installations have slowed considerably following large expansion projects by Windstream and KCTC in the county’s southern region.

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