By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Keeping the roads of Barton County safe is a never-ending job. Several structures throughout the county can be improved upon and those updates are made periodically. Tuesday morning, the Barton County Commission approved work to widen an existing reinforced concrete box on Northeast 130 Ave. just north of Northeast 130 Road. County Engineer Barry McManaman explained the issue.
"We did open bids on Oct. 20 for a project that's about a mile and half north of Claflin," he said. "We want to widen a concrete drainage box underneath Northeast 130 Ave. The work consists of adding six feet to the box on each side, and it's primarily a safety improvement."
Currently, there is a drop-off of approximately nine feet just three feet from the edge of the roadway. An old, largely non-functional concrete rail guards the drop. The extended concrete box will decrease the immediate slope off the side of the road. Commissioner Duane Reif pointed out the road is often used for oilfield and agricultural purposes that require large machinery.
L&M Contractors, Inc. submitted the lone bid for the project at $73,745. McManaman said they expect to begin construction by mid-November and have the project completed by the end of the year. Workers will flag traffic as necessary while they work on the road during daylight hours. Drivers may experience some minor delays. The road will be cleared each evening and weekend for unrestricted traffic flow.