Neosho County commissioners approved engineering agreements on Sept. 25 for two road projects funded from the county's road sales tax account.

The commission accepted Cook, Flatt & Strobel's proposal for design, construction inspection and letting services for the Seventieth Road asphalt overlay (Kingman Road to U.S. 169) in the amount of $112,400. The commission also accepted a Cook, Flatt & Strobel proposal for design, surveys and preparation of plans for the North Island Bridge replacement in the amount of $98,200. Both motions passed unanimously, recorded as votes of 3-0.

Roads director presentation: the county’s road and bridge director briefed commissioners on the county’s rut-filling and paving schedule and said crews will complete several rural repairs before year-end. The director said the county will issue a bid for removal of an old bridge (North Island) with a planned bid-open date of Oct. 21, and that project bidders should include stipulations for site cleanup and salvage removal so the contractor does not leave debris in the river channel.

Bridge alignment and right-of-way: engineers previously met with county staff and landowners to align the new North Island Bridge with a roughly 30-degree skew; the north abutment will move west slightly to match the road approach. The director said minor right-of-way acquisition may be necessary for approach geometry but did not expect significant property impacts.

Railroad overpass note: the director also reported on a Kansas Department of Transportation plan to raise the railroad overpass on 10th Road at U.S. 59; KDOT said it would confirm whether Union Pacific Railroad will cooperate with traffic controls. The county director warned of likely traffic changes and suggested pre-counts on primary diversion routes so the county can document traffic impacts during construction.

Why it matters: the projects are the first engineering expenditures out of the county’s road sales-tax fund and are expected to lead to substantial construction next year. Commissioners directed staff to obtain signatures and to manage project bids and project-specific contract terms, including salvage and cleanup requirements for the bridge removal work.