Midwest Paving Project to be completed in phases‏

Efforts are underway to pave the five miles of Midwest from Waterloo to Forrest Hills (No Name) and Forrest Hills from Midwest to Pine.

Phase 1 includes grinding up the old asphalt, compacting the roadbed and laying 2 ½” of asphalt on the two miles from Waterloo to Charter Oak. Unless asphalt dramatically increases in cost, it is estimated that $200,000 will pay for phase 1. At the present time we have $164,000 earmarked for this purpose. When we are able to accumulate the other $36,000 needed, we will go out to bid on these two miles. We hope to have phase 1 completed within a year.

As other funding becomes available, the plan is to pave the remaining two miles of Midwest from Charter Oak to Forrest Hills, and one mile of Forrest Hills from Midwest to Pine. This will complete phase 2.

Since taking office, I have been actively seeking the means to repave these five miles. We were able to get the project placed on the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Program (CIRB) five-year plan. This program, implemented through ODOT, provides funding for projects the county cannot afford on its own. The time schedule on the five-year plan calls for $100,000 for engineering in 2013, and $2,000,000 for construction in 2016. This additional 5 mile overlay of asphalt on top of the 2 ½” will provide a quality road for years to come. This final overlay will complete Phase 3.