By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Barton County has just under 400 miles of blacktop roads and each year crews plan to sand seal around a quarter of those roads.
County Administrator
Phil Hathcock says when Barton does their budget, the cost of maintaining the blacktop
roads always comes up. Some citizens suggest ripping the asphalt out and returning the roads to dirt or sand. Hathcock says failing to maintain asphalt roads is
not as cost efficient as one might think.
"If we do take out a blacktop road then the township has to take it over," said Hathcock. "The township has to increase taxes because they have to maintain the road, probably more than the county maintains the blacktop."
Hathcock added property values would decrease for residents if the blacktops
were switched over to sand. The county also has to think about the safety of driving emergency response vehicles on dirt roads.
"When you are trying to get an emergency service vehicle somewhere, you are going pretty fast," said Hathcock. "You want to get there as quickly as you can, especially if it is you that is in trouble. That road is used to get to other parts of the county, so we have to take that into account."
Sand sealing is taking place in the northwest corner of Barton County this year
and is expected to be finished by the end of next week, weather permitting.
Hathcock warns motorists to use caution driving on the recently sand sealed
roads as there will be loose sand and reflective markings have not been painted
yet.