The tentative reopening date for the Marlowe Creek Bridge on Route 46 one mile west of Grant City will be May 18th, a construction sheet provided to the Worth County Commissioners and the Sheridan Express by Matthew Stine of the Missouri Department of Transportation stated.
Mr. Stine faced questions from commissioners about issues with recent road construction. Route E and K northwest of Grant City had repaving projects done on them recently only for the DOT to subsequently turn around and do tube replacement projects.
Route E west of Sheridan also had similar issues. Recently, the road was repaved, only for the DOT to turn around, close the stretch where Route E and 246 cut north, and do several culvert replacements to address standing water issues that had existed since at least 2017, leaving the road in worse shape than it had been before.
This means that the DOT will have to go in and repave these roads again at a high cost. In Worth County, Route E is already on the list of roads to do seal coating on sometime this year. Other projects on the list for this year for seal coating include Route C from Allendale to Gentry County, Route B from 46 to Oxford, Route H from Sheridan to the Iowa state line, Route PP to Irena, and Route T from Allendale to the Iowa state line. Total estimated cost of these projects is $678,712.50. In addition, Route A from 46 to Isadora is slated for asphalt repair this year at an estimated cost of $26,625.00 for 500 tons.
For Nodaway County, Route E west of Sheridan is also on the list of roads to be worked on this year. Resurfacing work is tentatively scheduled to start in August along with Route EE from two miles south of Maryville to Route NN and Route 46. Total estimated cost is $5,035,419.32 and the job has been awarded to Herzog.
In other Nodaway County projects, there are two active projects. Route 71 from Burlington Junction to the Iowa state line is being resurfaced, and it is scheduled to finish in August. There are six different bridge rehabilitation projects in progress as well. A bridge replacement project on Route VV is scheduled to start in July. An intersection improvement project at Route 71 and 340th will likely start in July.
In addition, the following Nodaway County lettered roads are scheduled for asphalt repair — YY, B, FF, AC, AF, MM, U, V, and VV. Route A is scheduled for maintenance.
For Gentry County, the following roads are scheduled for asphalt repair this year — A, F, VV, C, E, and H. The following roads are scheduled for seal coating this year — DD, EE, F, VV, C, AA, E, and H.
Mr. Stine talked about unfunded needs for the area. He noted that in 2020, when the topic came up, the Marlowe Creek bridge was the biggest unfunded need as voted on by commissioners from all over the area. The project got moved back as other needs came up and Route W needed to be closed following structural deterioration on one bridge. Mr. Stine said that they look at projects based on bridge ratings and what fits their budget.
The DOT has had a lot of issues with roads over the years. In the 1950’s, the Missouri Legislature built up one of the biggest road systems in the country in an effort to move goods from farm to market quicker, put everyone within three miles of a state road, and give Missouri a competitive advantage over other states. More recently, the state spent a vast amount of resources shoring up bridges around St. Louis in fear of the New Madrid Fault in southeast Missouri triggering a massive earthquake. Currently, the DOT is converting I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis into a three-lane divided highway from two lanes.
The work on the Old 169 bridge south of Grant City that had been scheduled for May 11th has now been pushed back to the start of June.
Jen Osborn, Extension Engagement Specialist with University Extension, talked to the commissioners about plans for the Extension. Worth County has a new Youth Program Associate, Gayla Striplin, and the Worth County 4-H Council has restarted. There are plans for an Achievement Day as well as possibly programs at the school.
A homegrown entrepreneurial conference will be held in Maryville from September 15th to 17th to help business owners through connections, skill building, and locally relevant learning.
An AHEC Rural Immersion Program is scheduled to tour Northwest Missouri from June 21st to 25th. It will visit various sites in the area, including Hundley-Whaley and the new public safety building in Maryville. Up to 20 health students from different colleges around the state will take the tour and learn about rural issues. Around 50 students have applied for the experience. The program is supported through part of a $400,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Road & Bridge foreman Jim Fletchall reported that the county would be replacing a 7’x60’ tube near Isadora on County Road #36. The white truck was experiencing issues with the hoist when loaded.
Economic Developer Kevin Fisher reported on plans for a hot air balloon ride that will take place during the celebrations for the country’s 250th anniversary. The propane, insurance, and location have been lined out. The county will cover any shortfalls.
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