County on schedule with asphalt projects

Public Works Director Jim Harris, left, watches as the county’s asphalt crew does a one-mile overlay on Noble Road between 235th and 225th streets Monday. Members of the crew are Kyle Schnichels, Lucas Williams, Kenny Thron and Preston Tinkey. Noble Road is second on the county’s list of asphalt projects this year.

Tammy Helm

Residents near Eagle Road returned to the Bourbon County Commissioners Tuesday, when the status of the county’s asphalt projects was given.

Eagle Road is fourth – and last – on the list of overlay projects this year. So far, the county has completed laying four inches of asphalt on a mile of 230th Street between Jayhawk and Kansas Roads, but has some “touch up work” on driveways to do.

Currently, the crew is working on Noble Road where two inches of asphalt will be laid between 235th and 225. From there, the asphalt crew will move to Maple Road where it will lay an inch of asphalt on five miles between 165th and 95 streets.

Commissioners had promised to begin work on Eagle Road between the middle of June and first of July, but on Tuesday, Public Works Director Jim Harris said he expects the crew to move to Eagle Road by early June – or June 11 – if all goes well.

“We’re right on schedule, everything’s been going well, knock on wood,” Harris said. “Nothing major’s broke yet, we’ve had a little cooler weather, which helps the guys. So far, so good.”

With rain in the forecast for today and Thursday, Commissioner Jeff Fischer asked how rain impacts the projects. Harris said they won’t lay asphalt if the rain is “coming down, but if it just has rained, that won’t impact us.”

He said there are a few low spots on the roads, “but that’s to be expected with that paver.”

Harris has said the paver lacks skis, which would allow the machine to compensate for low spots in the road. He has said the machine is old and needs to be replaced one day.

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