Roads subject of concern for county

• Commission

Commission

Talk about it

Oil impact may mean turning paved county roads back into gravel, officials said at a Stark County Commission meeting Tuesday morning in Dickinson.

“Spring’s been tough on us,” said Stark County Road Superintendent Al Heiser. “We’ve had serious breakup on a lot of our paved roads and I think some of these roads are in such bad repair, I think we’re going to have turn some of them back to gravel.”

Heiser doesn’t believe it’s cost effective to repave the roads.

“It’s a lot easier to fill a hole with gravel and such than it is with pavement,” Commissioner Russ Hoff said.

Some of the roads near Dickinson in the worst state of disrepair are 38th Avenue East and 32nd Street Southwest, Heiser said.

“There’s nothing you can do with it besides turn it back to gravel,” Heiser said. “People aren’t going to like it, but they’re not holding up to the abuse that they’re getting.”

After the meeting he said between 90 and 100 loaded trucks a day leave the Badinger gravel pit on 32nd Street

Southwest.

Heiser expected to begin turning those two roads back to gravel by mid-spring and asked that residents be patient in the meantime.

During the meeting, commissioners also approved a request by Neil Tangen, who resides near South Heart, to lower the speed limit on 41st Street Southwest from the Billings County line to 121st Avenue Southwest.

The speed limit will be lowered to 35 mph for truck traffic but will remain 55 mph for non-truck traffic.

However, it could be about a month before new signs will be put on the road, Heiser said.

“It’s really become a very important safety issue out there — the speed of these trucks going by,” Tangen said. “We’re choking in the dust.”

He added the road has also deteriorated as a result of truck traffic.

“When we talk about county roads and the beating they’re taking, we share your concern, because we’re all familiar with the condition of the roads, especially this time of year,” said Chairman Ken Zander.

In another matter, commissioners approved a request from Byron Richard to change the zoning of about 50 acres south of Belfield from agricultural to industrial.

Commissioners also approved a one-year conditional use permit to allow up to 20 trailers or campers to be placed there to house oil-related workers.

“This project is worthy, just because of where it’s situated in relation to what’s happening out in the oilfield,” Commissioner Jay Elkin said. “It’s a good location. It’s along the highway.”

Tags: stark county commission, news, roads