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May. 27, 2010

Garrett County Roads Department personnel met with the county commissioners on Tuesday and reviewed their bridge, roadwork, and paving projects scheduled for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2010 and upcoming FY 2011. Because of economic conditions, however, that “to-do” list is short.
Swallow Falls Road Bridge

General roads superintendent Jay Moyer said the bid advertisement for construction of a new Swallow Falls Road bridge has been delayed until next year. In the meantime, there is a weight restriction on the bridge, which is located near Swallow Falls State Park.

When construction does begin on the new bridge, a temporary one-lane structure with no weight restriction will be placed over the Youghiogheny River. Moyer said it was important to keep the roadway open because of the park and a nearby business that relies on tourism.

“The estimated cost of that bridge is going to be in the neighborhood of $3.5 million, of which 80 percent will be federally funded with the county share being 20 percent, or roughly $720,000,” Moyer said.

Glendale Road Intersection

Moyer said the State Highway Administration (SHA) has approved the design contract for the Glendale Road Intersection Improvement Project.

“[But] SHA still has a problem with the estimated cost of that project,” the superintendent said. “And we’re going to be looking at ways to lessen the financial impact of that project on the county.”

Moyer said the cost will be well over $1 million, with approximately $742,000 available in grants. The county’s responsibility will be roughly $258,000.

He added that actual construction on the project will not begin until next year.

Exhibit Hall

If approved by the Garrett County Fair Board, improvements related to the exhibit hall will begin soon at the fairgrounds, Moyer indicated. County engineer Dwight Emory has proposed a schedule of what needs to happen, how it needs to happen, and how long it should take, the superintendent noted.

That work includes a new acceleration/decelera-tion lane, new entrance, a new roadway, two parking areas, and a stormwater system.

The estimate cost is $1 million. A $300,000 USDA grant is available, Moyer said, and the county is responsible for the remainder of the cost. He noted that as much “in house” work as possible will be done in order to get the cost down to the county’s budgeted amount.

Bridge G-84

Moyer also reported that replacement of Bridge G-84, located over Mill Run on Chet Kelly Road, has been delayed. The superintendent explained that based on an inspector’s report, the Roads Department was going to use a prefabricated bridge that it already has on hand to replace the current structure.

But when Moyer’s staff measured the site in preparation for the replacement, they discovered that the inspector’s numbers were off by two feet. As a result, a new bridge has to be purchased. The estimated project limit is $50,000 in county funds.

Savage River Road

Moyer said road repairs, including a tar and chip overlay, will be completed on Savage River Road during the 2010 construction season. Estimated at $30,000, the project will be funded by the county.

“That road is open; it’s usable,” Moyers said. “It just has a section that no longer has tar and chip; it’s been washed out.”

The superintendent noted, as temporary measures, a Grantsville garage crew has put crusher run gravel down and done work to prevent the river from coming onto the road.

ARRA Stimulus Project

Moyer said the resurfacing of Chestnut Ridge and New Germany roads is expected to proceed the first week of June.

The commissioners awarded the project to Keystone Lime, which submitted a bid of $1,068,236.60. Purchasing agent Brian Bowers noted that the bid was $248,958.75, or 18.9 percent, below the engineer’s estimate.

Funding for this project is through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in the amount of $1,204,000. Driveway “tie-in” work and costs, however, will be the county’s responsibility.

Keystone has 30 working days to complete the project.

In addition to the major projects list, Moyer presented the commissioners with his four-year improvement plan for various other county roadways.

“This is an ever-evolving document,” Moyer stressed. “As of our staff meeting Monday morning, we’ve already made changes to it.”

Moyer told the commissioners he would just have to update the commissioners on plan changes, based on funding availability and road conditions.

“We’re going to have to be very conscientious of where we put asphalt,” the superintendent said. “We’re definitely going to try to do any road that we feel is likely to fail in the next year.”

He asked the commissioners to once again consider “banking” half of the paving money for winter operations. Moyer said, hopefully, that money will “still be there” in the spring to use for paving projects.

The commissioners earmarked some of the county’s paving money for this past winter’s operations. This was very beneficial to the Roads Department, as the local area received a record amount of snow, more than 260 inches, this past season.

The commissioners’ next scheduled public meeting is Tuesday, June 1, beginning at 11 a.m. at the courthouse in Oakland.

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