By Jim Magdefrau
VINTON – Five years of proposed work on the county’s secondary roads were explained at the Tuesday, April 11, 2023, meeting of the Benton County Board of Supervisors. The supervisors met at the service center conference room in Vinton.
Engineer
Fiscal year 2024 to 2028 secondary road construction projects were presented by Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek.
He broke the work down one year at a time.
Looking at next fiscal year, the county plans include design work for bridge replacements. One is just west of Mount Auburn, one is northeast of Vinton, and another is southeast of Vinton on 63rd Street. Another is on 69th Street. One is just northwest of Vinton on 63rd Street. Another bridge just south of there will be replaced with a slab. There are two nearby bridges that have embargoes on them. They are in the design mode now. One will be a culvert and the other will be a slab bridge. There is another bridge south of Walford on the Linn-Benton line. They will put an overlay on this with Linn County.
As for roads, the county is looking a purchasing right of way between Blairstown and Highway 30. They want to start widening the shoulders on this and replace culverts at the same time. A number of roads will also be resurfaced in the near future. From Shellsburg north to the Cedar River Bridge the road needs resurfacing. Work is planned from Vinton to the Oak Grove Church, which is referred to as the county home road. New pavement is planned between Oak Grove Church and the Linn County line. Resurfacing is needed from Shellsburg north and east to the Cedar River Bridge. Work is planned from Newhall to the Shellsburg concrete road.
As for the 2025 plan, culvert work is planned north of Newhall, tied in with what needs to be addressed on the intersection. Bridge work includes northwest of Urbana on 52nd Street. Just west of there the bridge needs an overlay over the Cedar River. A box culvert is planned west of Mount Auburn. Just southwest of there a bridge will be replaced in Cedar Township. Work is planned south of Atkins, west of Blairstown, just off of Highway 131, the high road north of Vinton and the Buchanan Line Road.
Resurfacing work includes north and west of Newhall, south of Blairstown, and from the landfill to Hannen Park.
He also gave plans for Fiscal Year 2026 to 2028 for bridges, resurfacing and pavement. Highlights include widening the road south of Atkins, buying right of way for Highway 131 to widen the shoulders and resurface it, and resurfacing from Vinton to Garrison to the Keystone corner. In subsequent years road work is planned east and west out of Blairstown. The board approved the program.
Parizek presented the 2023 dust control program. The MC-70 oil is 15 cents more than it was a year ago. The chips that go on this have also seen a price increase. Parizek thought the cost to the county is $1,500 for a 400-foot stretch. Additional work is $2.50 per foot. The board approved setting the price at these numbers. There is a minimum of 50-foot increments. It was $1,450 last spring.
The 2024 secondary road budget was approved.
A utility permit was approved for Alliant Energy for Jackson and Cedar Townships.
Derecho trees
A resolution was approved supporting the community development block grand for derecho funding. Jennifer Fencl of East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) was at the meeting to explain the grant. This includes money for trees damaged by the derecho three years ago. This is a four-year grant. It is $900 per tree. Shelby Williams of Benton County Conservation said this will go to trees at Hannen, Wildcat and Rodgers Parks. These parks would get five to 10 trees. The rest would go to the Atkins Roundhouse for removal of demolished timber and replanting on those 80 acres. Belle Plaine is also applying for grant money. The board approved support for the application.
Other business
Amendments were made for fiscal year 2023.
The board acted on ARPA committee recommendations and received an update on current approved projects.
Quarterly reports were approved for the auditor and recorder.
The supervisors approved the American Rescue Act Plan claims.
Season intern job postings were approved for the weed department. Two interns were approved to operate spray trucks. The pay is $17 per hour.
Jim Magdefrau 