Commissioners mulling over milling Soldier Road

In preparation for planning 2016 road projects, Public Works Director Jim Harris provided Bourbon County Commissioners with a traffic count report.

"As you can see, 230th Street has a lot more than I expected -- 285 cars a day," Harris said.

The list also showed how many miles the county had completed on its hard-surface road plan. The county completed 12 miles in 2014 and about six miles in 2015.

"To me, it shows we've made some good headway," Commission Chair Barbara Albright said.

Harris said the four primary roads that have been completed are Maple Road, 215th Street, Jayhawk and Indian roads.

"If we're going to consider milling up anything this fall, I'll need some direction from you folks," Harris said. "Or we could do it next spring."

Arrowhead Road will be added to the county's list of hard surface roads projects, but the county is in a "partnership" with Crawford County to make improvements on the county line road. There was some debate on what the actual agreement is. Harris said the two counties agreed to meet in March to decide how the work will be divided.

Commission Chair Barbara Albright said she remembers both counties agree the road needs to be milled. She and Harris said Crawford County will be responsible for the first mile and Bourbon County will be responsible for the second mile of Arrowhead Road.

Oharah said the county's current priority is the Fort Scott Industrial Park.

"We've got several (priorities)," Albright said.

"It's just like every year," Harris said. "You tell me how much sales tax money we've got and I'll tell you how much we can do."

One of the priorities is a four-mile stretch on Soldier Road in the third district. Again, Harris asked if the commissioners want the road milled now or in the spring.

"If we do it now, Mother Nature can help us pack it all winter long," Harris said. "It will be a better road."

"My concern is if you mill it now and then you can't come back to it," Albright said.

She and Oharah recommended Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman needs to speak with his constituents before a decision is made on when the road will be milled.

"It's going down quick, isn't it, Jim," Coleman said.

Albright said she doubts the county will be able to asphalt six miles in 2016.

"What if it has to sit?" she asked.

"It will have to sit," Harris said. "But ... another year with trucks on there and it will be a better road. Milling it will make it much safer than what it is today."

Coleman agreed.

When prioritizing the county's list of projects, the traffic count is just one factor. Albright said commissioners also need to look at the condition of the roads. Harris said he would provide that information.

"We can only go with chip and seal and asphalt as far as the money will allow us," Albright said. "So we have boundaries."

She recommended obligating the county to making improvements in 2016 to Soldier Road only.

Oharah asked if any part of the road could be "chip and sealed and salvaged." Harris said a portion of the road is "borderline."

Other business

* Albright announced there will be a department head meeting at 10 a.m. today. Each department head has asked for a copy of their budget. County Clerk Kendell Mason said she would provide the information, but the budget information will not be finalized until after a public hearing is held at 10 am. Sept. 15.