Published: March 19, 2009 08:42 am      

County to receive funding for road resurfacing

By VANESSA WELCH

vanessa.welch@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Jefferson County is expected to receive $413,197 in federal economic stimulus money to resurface 1.36 miles of North Ken Gray Parkway located between I-57 and Rend Lake College.

“If we put a three-inch overlay on that road, using the numbers from the Ina Road overlay we’re getting ready to do, it comes within a couple hundred dollars,” county engineer Steve Schnake said. “There will be no matching funds. It will just be 100 percent financed by stimulus money.”

Members of the Jefferson County Highway Committee approved the project during its meeting Wednesday night, and accepted submission of a project to resurface two miles of Log Cabin Lane with two and a half inches of asphalt as second priority for federal economic recovery spending.

If resurfacing North Ken Gray Parkway costs less than expected, the committee said excess funds will be required to go back to the state, and if costs become higher, those funds will be required to come from the county. The project is expected to begin next year.

The committee also reviewed proposed projects involving the Ina Road overlay from Illinois Route 37 to Spring Garden, Straza Road bridge located four miles south of Belle Rive, and a Scheller Road project one mile north of Scheller. Three additional projects will be let April 24 and include Malecki Road Bridge, Spring Garden Bridge and Casner Bridge.

In other business, the committee:

Passed a resolution raising construction engineering costs for projects from 5 percent to 6 percent, not including general maintenance for road district motor fuel taxes, which will remain at 5 percent;

Tabled a discussion regarding use of barricades for flooding on Hall Road;

Reviewed and approved audits by the Illinois Department of Transportation on the 2008 county motor fuel tax, the road district motor fuel tax and the township bridge program fund;

Approved vacating a subdivision near McClellan Elementary School that includes three lots and one residence; and,

Approved its monthly fuel quote.