Dist. 2 Update: Logan County’s population up 10.4 percent in the last five years

The Senate and House Appropriations Committees and representatives of the Governor are hammering out a budget as I write this (See Wednesday’s Special Update).  What is at stake for us in District 2 are 15 miles of asphalt roads and five bridges on our 5-year construction plan. The accumulation of funds in the CIRB state general funds account are on the plate for consideration to meet the shortfall in the state’s budget.

The Douglas project from Waterloo to Forrest Hill completed two years ago was an overlay project for $1.1Million. Eighty percent of this was federal and 20% was from CIRB. Two and a half miles of Charter Oak and another 2 1/2 miles of Simmons roads were to be engineered this fiscal year (by June 30). Since then, the federal rules have changed and that $1.1 million for Douglas would now be approximately $8-10 million. But when we scoped these other road projects, it was for a simple overlay. Now the rules have changed and these projects must meet federal regulations even though the funding is from our state Motor Vehicle Use tax (CIRB). This changes the cost of these road projects from about $400,000/mile to about $2 million/mile requiring the acquisition of another 60ft of Right of Way. ODOT has now placed these engineering contracts for Simmons and Charter Oak on hold till we reevalute how to pay for these added requirements. A meeting with ODOT at our next BoCC meeting on May 15th at the Courthouse Annex is on our agenda to go over the county’s priorities. Hopefully, at this time, we will know how much will be left in CIRB by our legislature so we can replan these projects. This legislative driven change will require these projects to be extended 10 and perhaps 15 years into the future.

Just as a piece of information to consider is that Logan County’s population has grown by 10.4 percent in the last five years primarily south of Seward Rd.

The Rural Water D1 waterline supplying the new Loves truckstop with drinking water has been completed up to the Hwy 33/105 junction. But the project contract for the 10 miles of placement has not been completed and will not be completed until all the damage to our easements have been addressed. With the hard rainfalls we received Wednesday, the altered drainage created serious challenges to many citizens and some damage to our roads. The contracting company resides in Tuttle and was moving into their new building Wednesday when a tornado ripped through it causing over $200,000 in damages. Yet they were out fixing these drainage problems by 9am that morning. They promise that this will not slow them down on finishing this cleanup portion of the project.

The Green Oaks Addition has been delayed by newly state required paperwork by the contractor’s bonding company. Our pre-work conference is scheduled for next Friday on the 15th. After that, it will be up to the contractor as to how soon it will be repaved.

Please be weather aware this weekend! If a road is underwater and you cannot see it, you would be well advised to turn around and find another route.

Please remember that we have a rolloff for all that unwanted furniture, appliances and junk that is free for all Logan County residents (not commercial) to use.

Our phones are your way of notifying us of road conditions. Do not count on “someone else” to keep us informed. We will respond as soon as we are able. Our office is 282-3405 and my cell is 405-650-0384 and I text. Or email us at commissiondistrict2@gmail.com.