Engineer’s Office prepares for X-64 overlay project

   A PCC overlay project on County Road X-64 that’s on the Secondary Road five-year construction program for Fiscal Year 2024 is in the works.

   During the Nov. 1 Jones County Supervisor meeting, Assistant Engineer Todd Postel provided an update to the board.

   Postel is working on right-of-way needs associated with a bridge replacement project on X-64, which has to happen first, before the overlay.

   “We’ll replace the bridge in 2023, a slab bridge with a box culvert,” explained Postel. “The bridge is too narrow.”

   This will require .09 of an acre and .18 of an acre from two different property owners.

   “I want to send initial offers out,” Postel said. “I’m using the same numbers we used on E-34, $15,000 an acre.”

   “These are pretty small footprints,” County Engineer Derek Snead said of the right-of-way needed.

   Postel said as part of the bridge replacement project, the contractor will also work on the driveway and field/farm entrances by flattening the slopes.

   Snead said by tackling these projects first before a primary contractor is hired for the overlay project, they can save some time and money.

   “On a previous project, the contractor didn’t do driveways and box culverts,” he explained. “The cost was spread around to a second contractor. We can get tighter numbers with these components and not have the couple it with the paving contractor. We can do the culvert and driveways as one project.”

   Supervisor Joe Oswald said doing it this way might also result in less time the road has to be closed to traffic.

   “This is the better way to do it,” added Postel.

   He anticipates a January/February letting for the X-64 overlay project. The project will encompass 4.4 miles of paving.

   “X-64 was the first paved secondary road in Jones County,” shared Postel.

   The width of the roadway is 20 feet, which Postel said is too narrow.

   “We’ll remedy that,” he noted.

   Postel is also applying for safety funds to incorporate a safety edge and rumble strips as part of the project.

   “It’ll be a 22-foot top with a safety edge; 24 feet in total,” he said.

In other county business:

   • Oswald reported that the Center Junction Fire Station sold in auction for $74,000.

   “It’ll go back on the tax roll,” he said.

   The fire trucks and equipment are being sold online.

   Supervisor Jon Zirkelbach said there were a handful of bidders for the facility. Bid started at $5,000.

   • The board set a public hearing for Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 9:10 a.m. to amend the FY23 county budget.

   • The board approved the final plats for the McElmeel Acres 2^nd and 3^rd Additions in a subdivision in Lovell Township. They contain approximately 1.47 and 1.31 acres each, being made into one-lot subdivisions.

   “I don’t think they’ll build or develop on these lots,” noted Land Use Administrator Michele Lubben.

   • The board went into a closed session with County Attorney Kristofer Lyons and Sheriff Greg Graver “to discuss strategy with counsel in matters that are presently in litigation…”

   • The board discussed a nuisance located at 9073 County Road E-45, Wyoming, following a 30-day extension granted on Sept. 27.

   The property owners changed in early September, prompting a nuisance notice to go out to both the former and new owners. Lubben said she’s not been able to establish contact with the new owner.

   The board voted 4-1 to abate the nuisance. Oswald was opposed.