Caledonia Argus

Weight restrictions placed on all roads

Posted: 3/2/04

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Houston County Engineer Allen Henke hopes early road restrictions will help county roads. Thatís why weight restrictions on all roads were put up last week, he told commissioners at their Tuesday, Feb. 25 meeting.

The road bans are being put up earlier than normal this year as a way to curb some of the potential damage. The state is using soil borings to help determine when the road bans will be most effective. ìThe ban is usually on for about eight weeks. This is the first year to extend the road ban on crushed rock gravel roads. That should help the township roads,í said Henke.

Next year road bans on those roads may be between 7-10 days longer than the bans on paved roads if proposed legislation is passed this year.

The state gave counties a three day notice of when the bans would be in effect. Farm equipment is exempt from the weight limits.

ìItís a sign of spring. Itís kind of like the groundhog coming out,î said commissioner Kevin Kelleher.

Other road news

In other news, the highway department will be putting out bids for crushed rock and calcium chloride.

Commissioners signed a resolution that would allow them to pay contractors for services from their own funds related to federal highway projects and then be reimbursed from the state. Before, the bill was sent to the state and the state paid it. The turnaround time on when the state pays the county is quick, Henke told The Argus. Commissioner Larry Graf noted, ìItís just another cost shift so they can hold onto their money later.î

Henke informed commissioners that they will be requesting a variance from the state on the road construction that is occurring on Co. Ro. 29, which runs for one mile until the Winona County line. State aid rules require a 30 foot clear zone adjacent to the traffic lane, and this will only have a 24 foot clear zone. To make it 30 feet would require a costly extensive rebuilding of the back slope. Henke affirmed that the state will likely grant the variance.

Reporting on Co. Rd. 3, Henke said they are waiting until spring to see how the section located between Gavin Rd. and Weinbender Road that was graded last year held up during the winter. Its paving is tentatively scheduled to be finished this summer.

If that section is paved, the county will also re-pave three other sections located on Co. Rd. 3. They include the road located near Wiebke Hill, which begins at the East edge of Caledonia and extends one mile to Co. Rd. 32. This road will also be milled and overlayed this summer. ìThat section gets so rough in the winter and spring,î said Henke.

The second section on Co. Rd. 3 includes the two-and-a-half mile section between Weinbender Road to Wildcat Creek. Work will also be done on Brownsville Hill with minor widening of the shoulders where the grading job left off.

The third section to be paved is 3/4 mile in length and goes from 9th Street in Brownsville to State Hwy. 26.

Fill is being allowed to settle on Co. Rd. 3, which helps the road to keep from cracking later. ìWhen you put it down, you really want it to stay down,î said Henke.

new computers coming

Computer equipment that the state had just given to the county to manage broke down only a few days after the county became the new owners.

Houston County Human Services Director Beth Wilms requested funds for the purchase of four new computers at a cost of $3,062.47.

The computers are used by the child support workers.

Remarking on the equipment malfunction Wilms said, ìIt was timely, it died right after you signed it (the transfer of ownership papers) and sent it out.î

Kelleher said, ìAs we discussed last time, this is a direct cost shift from the state. Now we have to buy that equipment off the property taxes.î

Shelby subdivision approved

The board approved a subdivision located near the Money Creek area as submitted by Bruce Mierau.

The three acre lot is subdivided into two lots.

Top of Page