Staff writer
Even with prior road superintendent Randy Crawford out of the picture, roads are still a hot topic.
With commissioner Lori Lalouette absent, commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke discussed on Monday the abundance of traffic on 190th and Wagonwheel Rds. from an excessive amount of through traffic due to the construction of the US-56/77 roundabout.
“It’s a dirt road, we have farm equipment, everything on there,” Holub said. “I think we need to get a little proactive here before somebody wishes we did.”
One concern with the extra through traffic was that the traffic was not just local, including semis and trailers that were over the weight limit. However, KDOT engineer Joe Palic said KDOT previously worked out a deal with commissioners for more rock for that road, knowing that the traffic would be higher with the construction.
“My understanding is that farming uses that bridge all the time and they’re sometimes overweight, but there’s a big difference,” Palic said. “If people are driving around it and they don’t live there, then they are breaking the law.”
One idea brought up during the meeting was placing more “local traffic only” signs on the roads, but some concerns were raised about this idea.
“We can’t put barricades up because of farm equipment going through,” Holub said.
Palic also confirmed this issue.
“We can’t physically close the road because there are still people who live there and need to get in and out,” he said in a phone interview. “Likewise, it’s the same thing on the west end of K-150, because we closed the road at US-77 and 150, and the only way people can get onto 150 from that road is to use county roads north and south from there.”
Commissioners agreed that approving a resolution was necessary.
Jesse Hamm also brought up with commissioners that he had received an anonymous complaint about roads.
Holub said to Hamm that anonymous road complaints weren’t the ones they wanted to hear.
“If someone doesn’t own up,” Holub said, “I’m not going to do anything about it.”
Dallke said he understood where Holub was coming from but disagreed about the way he said it, and made some points about why someone might submit anonymously.
“There’s people scared of turning in somebody,” Dallke said. “Like I said, if (Hamm) reviewed it and know what it’s about I have no problems. Whether we will act upon it is another question.”
In other business:
- Commissioners approved a request from the treasurer’s office to purchase a new copier for $4,425.