Commissioners Review Five-Year Highway Plan

During its regular meeting Tuesday, September 6, the Grant County Commissioners heard a report by Highway Superintendent Kerwin Schultz on the five-year county highway and bridge improvement plan. The plan is open for a public review before its final adoption scheduled for October 4.

The plan is developed and updated annually and includes Grant County transportation policies. It encompasses: roadway classifications, roadway and bridge inventories, a five-year list of the projected revenue for highway and bridge improvements, a five-year list of programmed highway and bridge projects based on projected revenue, and the status of programmed projects from the previous plan.

Items slated for completion in 2017 include: STP (spanning tree protocol) bridge replacements at 482nd Avenue and County Road 35, 480th Avenue and County Road 31; bridge replacements at 483rd Avenue and County Road 35; and a PE (preliminary engineering) and H&H (hydrology and hydraulics) study on County Road 19. Additional items performed yearly include: striping, seal coating, overlay, railroad crossings, asphalt patching, hydraulic studies, and annual culvert replacements. Staffing, supply and maintenance costs are also included.

Items completed in 2016 were: seal coating 34 miles and six miles of overlay on County Road 8. Various bridge inspections are currently underway along with a PE and H&H study on County Road 35. Yet to be done this year are: the replacement of two culverts, striping, replacement of three bridges, and nine miles of overlay on County Road 8. A bid has been awarded for the bridge replacement on 479th Avenue and it will also be completed in 2016. Grant County Auditor Karen Layher explained, “Money is transferred each year from the general fund to the highway fund to cover these highway projects.”

In other items, Peggy Schuelke had previously addressed the commissioners asking for help to haul away rubble from the Revillo school which burned down in 1963. Schuelke owns the property where the remains stand and agreed to cover the demolition costs. The commissioners tabled the item until the September meeting in an effort to see if other funding was available. Schuelke did not attend the meeting and the project is on hold.

Mark and Emily Mueller addressed the commissioners and requested an on-off sale malt beverage license and a on-off sale South Dakota farm wine license for the Pumpkin Patch east of Milbank. “We made improvements to our barn and farm and have been approached about hosting weddings, reunions, and special events at our facility. We do not have any events booked, but want to be prepared,” they said. The commissioners granted a one-year license.

The next regular meeting of the Grant County commissioners is Tuesday, September 20, at 8 a.m. in the Grant County Courthouse.